29th JUNE CURRENT AFFAIRS

120th Statistics Day- 29th JUNE

Statistics Day-commemorates the birth anniversary of the pioneering statistician Professor Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis(Father of Indian Statistics.")

He founded the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in 1931

2026 Theme: "Unlocking the Potential of Administrative Data

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has developed the National Indicator Framework (NIF) for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in consultation with concerned Ministries and Departments, NITI Aayog, UN Agencies, and other stakeholders to facilitate the monitoring of SDGs at the national level.

The NIF provides a comprehensive mechanism for tracking progress on the SDGs and serves as an important evidence base for policy formulation and programme implementation. The report is compiled based on the data for the indicators received from line Ministries/Departments. MoSPI has been releasing these reports on 29th June every year.

MoSPI has also released a thematic SDG bulletin, ‘Transforming Lives: India’s Achievements under the People Dimension of the SDGs’.

This bulletin is part of a series of thematic, data-driven SDG bulletin aligned with the five foundational pillars of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnerships.

The bulletin on ‘People’ dimension of SDGs highlights India’s progress toward human well-being and social development, focusing on SDGs related to no poverty (SDG 1), zero hunger (SDG 2), good health and well-being (SDG 3), quality education (SDG 4), and gender equality (SDG 5).

1The proportion of population covered by social protection systems/floors increased from 22.0% in 2016 to 65.3% in 2026

2Maternal Mortality Ratio declined from 122 per 100,000 live births during 2015-17 to 87 during 2022-24.

3The Sex Ratio at Birth (in Per 1,000 male live births) improved from 896 females per 1,000 males in 2015–17 to 918 in 2022–24, reflecting a positive trend towards a more balanced gender ratio at birth

4Installed renewable energy generating capacity in the country increased from 64.04 watts per capita in 2014-15 to 193.36 watts per capita in 2025–26, reflecting a threefold expansion in renewable energy capacity over the period.

5The unemployment rate declined from 6.1% in 2017-18 to 3.1% in 2025.

6The area of Ramsar sites as a percentage of total wetland area increased from 4.15% in 2016 to 8.66% in 2026.

2Jharkhand's Jadopatia Painting Received a GI Tag

Jadopatia (or Jadupatua) painting, a traditional scroll art form practiced by the Jadu community and the Santhal tribe

Derived from Jadu (meaning magician/painter) and Patia (meaning scroll), these "magic painters" historically traveled from village to village to tell stories.

The paintings are created on vertical fabric or paper scrolls. Artists exclusively use water-based colors extracted from nature—grinding soil, crushed flowers, and leaves to create their vibrant, limited color palette

Jharkhand’s rich cultural heritage has received a major boost with 11 traditional products from the state being granted Geographical Indication, or GI, tags.

The newly recognised products include Bhoya Saree and Fabric, Kuchai Silk Saree, Kesaria Kalakand, Dokra Craft, Tumka Chadar, Baroni Paintings, Munda Jewellery, Jharkhand Bamboo Craft, Tussar Silk and Sarees, Jadopatia Painting, and Pancho Saree and Fabric.

Experts said the GI recognition will help preserve traditional arts and crafts while providing artisans and weavers greater access to national and international markets.

Earlier, Sohrai Painting had also received a GI tag, while several other products from the state are awaiting final registration.

3Bengaluru was Named Host for the 4th Global Chess League

The fourth season of the Global Chess League (GCL) is taking place in Bengaluru, India. The elite, mixed-gender, franchise-based team tournament runs from September 3 to 13, 2026, marking the second consecutive year the event has been hosted in India

The Season 4 player pool features 36 Grandmasters across generations, including World Champions, World Cup winners, Olympiad medallists and leading names from the global chess circuit. With a mix of retained stars and players entering the draft, franchises will have a wide field to shape balanced six-player squads across categories.