The Need for Regular Audits of Major Infrastructure Projects

• The failure of public infrastructure, including bridges, roads, and hospitals, is a significant issue in India.

• The failure of these infrastructures is a result of India’s ageing infrastructure, especially in peri-urban areas.

• The authorities have ordered investigations into these incidents, but few have yielded failure analysis reports into the public domain.

• India must modify asset-creating initiatives and adjust the incentives of rehabilitative schemes to help maintain ageing urban assets.

• Baseline audit frameworks for municipal bridges must be enforced more uniformly and transparently.

• Accidents must trigger a probe by a statutory body plus a mandatory audit of all major infrastructure, and States must publish the findings at the earliest.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s Progress on Zonal Councils

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasized the transformation of zonal councils from discussion forums to “engines of cooperation”.

• 83% of issues discussed in these councils have been resolved, indicating a significant progress.

• The number of zonal council meetings increased from 25 between 2004 and 2025 to 63 between 2014 and 2025.

• Shah emphasized the need to focus on the micro-vulnerable groups, key populations, and individuals on the fringes.

• The United Nations’ theme for World Population Day is “Empowering young people to create the families they want in a fair and hopeful world,” highlighting the right of every person to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health.

• India has the world’s largest youth population, with 371 million youth aged 15 to 29 years.

• Despite significant strides in initiatives like ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ and the National Adolescent Health Programme, challenges such as limited reproductive autonomy, socio-cultural barriers, and gender inequality persist.

• The prevalence of child marriages in India has reduced by half since 2006, but remains at 23.3%.

• The UNFPA’s State of World Population Report 2025 highlights the lack of reproductive autonomy and the crisis of fertility aspirations, particularly among women.