Content

1. Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0
2. Atal Pension Yojna crosses 8.34 crore enrolments; Women account for 48%

Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0

Why is it in News?

• Fourth edition of Kashi Tamil Sangamam begins on 2 December 2025.
• Theme: “Tamil Karkalam – Let Us Learn Tamil”, shifting focus to linguistic learning.
• Major initiatives: Teaching Tamil in 50 Varanasi schools, Tamil learning tours for 300 UP students, Sage Agastya Vehicle Expedition, and grand valedictory in Rameswaram.
• Marks a civilisational-cultural linkage between Tamil Nadu and Kashi, aligned with Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat (EBSB).

Relevance

GS 1 – Indian Culture

• Cultural continuity between Tamil Nadu and Kashi.
• Pilgrimage traditions, classical literature, temple architecture.
• Sage Agastya’s role in Indian civilisational history.

GS 2 – Governance & Education

• NEP 2020 focus on Indian languages & IKS.
• Cultural diplomacy within India.
• Centre–State coordination in education & culture.

What is Kashi Tamil Sangamam?

• A cultural initiative launched in 2022 during Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
• Celebrates historical, spiritual and knowledge links between Tamil Nadu and Kashi/Varanasi.
• Implemented by Ministry of Education with IIT Madras & BHU as academic partners.
• Participants include: Students, teachers, artisans, farmers, scholars, spiritual leaders, professionals.

Core Idea:
Revive centuries-old people-to-people exchange across two major civilisation nodes of India.

Historical & Civilisational Context

• Pilgrimage routes between Tamil Nadu and Kashi documented in Bhakti literature (Appar, Sambandar, Manikkavasagar).
• Tamil mutts and communities settled in Kashi for centuries (e.g., Hanuman Ghat Tamil community).
• Scholars circulated ideas of Shaivism, Advaita, linguistics, Siddha medicine, temple architecture.
• Sage Agastya tradition symbolises north–south movement of knowledge.

Civilisational Continuity Themes:

• Sanskrit–Tamil literary dialogue
• Temple architecture diffusion
• Kashi’s influence on Tamil saints and vice versa
• Shared devotional traditions (Shaiva, Vaishnava)

Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0 – Key Features

A. Tamil Karkalam (Let Us Learn Tamil)

• 50 Hindi-speaking Tamil teachers deployed in 50 Varanasi schools.
• 1,500 UP students learning introductory Tamil.
• Supported by CICT, CIIL Mysuru, BHU, IRCTC, UP administration.
• Builds linguistic inclusivity beyond Tamil Nadu.

B. Tamil Karpom (Study Tour for UP Students)

• 300 college students from UP visit Tamil Nadu in 10 batches.
• Hosted by institutions such as IIT Madras, Pondicherry University, GRI Dindugal, Kanchipuram colleges, Shastra University.
• Modules include:
  • Tamil language basics
  • Tamil cultural immersion
  • Visits to Tamil–Kashi heritage-linked sites

C. Sage Agastya Vehicle Expedition (SAVE)

• Route: Tenkasi → Kashi (2–10 December 2025).
• Traces legendary Agastya’s north–south knowledge journey.
• Highlights:
  • Classical Tamil literature
  • Siddha medicine
  • Medieval dynasties: Chola, Pandya, Chera, Pallava, Vijayanagara
• Reinforces civilisational linkages.

D. Grand Valedictory at Rameswaram

• Symbolically completes Kashi–Rameswaram cultural corridor.

Evolution of Kashi Tamil Sangamam (1.0 to 4.0)

KTS 1.0 (2022)

• 2,500+ participants; large-scale immersion.
• Daily cultural events at BHU.
• Visits to Kashi Vishwanath, Sarnath, Ayodhya.
• Exhibitions: Handlooms, ODOP, books.

KTS 2.0 (2023)

• 1,435 delegates.
• Real-time Tamil translation of PM’s address.
• Academic sessions, Agastya Jayanti program.
• ₹22 lakh exhibition sales, 2 lakh visitors.
• Digital reach: 8.5 crore (Brand24).

KTS 3.0 (2025 Feb)

• Strong knowledge-centric focus.
• Thematic celebration of Sage Agastya.
• Link to Mahakumbh 2025 and Ram Mandir.
• Workshops integrating Indian Knowledge Systems with NEP 2020.

KTS 4.0 (2025 Dec)

• Linguistic focus: Tamil learning in UP schools + Tamil study tours for UP youth.
• Civilisational reiteration through Sage Agastya expedition.

Trend:
From cultural exchange → heritage education → civilisational scholarship → linguistic immersion.

Overview

Cultural Significance

• Strengthens north–south cultural unity.
• Revives ancient pilgrimage–scholarship circuits.
• Reintroduces classical Tamil knowledge systems (literature, Siddha, philosophy).

Linguistic Significance

• Positioning Tamil learning in North India is unprecedented.
• Strengthens Bharatiya Bhasha vision of NEP 2020.
• Encourages multilingualism and language appreciation beyond regional boundaries.

Educational Significance

• Integrates Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) into contemporary learning.
• Academic partnerships between IIT Madras, BHU, CICT, CIIL.
• Encourages experiential learning through curated tours.

Economic Significance

• Boosts cultural tourism (Kashi–Rameswaram circuit).
• Exhibitions expand markets for artisans, ODOP sectors.
• Promotes handlooms, handicrafts, and culinary heritage.

Soft Power & National Integration

• Reinforces India’s internal cultural diplomacy.
• Builds emotional, linguistic and civilisational unity across regions.
• Supports Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, Viksit Bharat Vision 2047.

Continuity with Government Initiatives

• Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) under NEP 2020.
• Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav ecosystem.
• Revitalizing cultural–spiritual tourism (PRASHAD, Swadesh Darshan).

Conclusion

• Kashi Tamil Sangamam has evolved into a sustained cultural-educational bridge linking Tamil Nadu and Kashi.
• KTS 4.0’s linguistic focus marks a major shift towards deeper, structured, youth-centric knowledge exchange.
• Strengthens civilisational unity, cultural tourism, linguistic diversity, and Indian Knowledge Systems in line with NEP 2020 and EBSB.

Atal Pension Yojna crosses 8.34 crore enrolments; Women account for 48%

Why is it in News?

• APY enrolments have crossed 8.34 crore (as of 31 Oct 2025).
• Women account for 48% of all subscribers → strong gender inclusion indicator.
• GoI & PFRDA report major expansion due to vernacular outreach, digital onboarding, BC/Self-Help-Group mobilisation, and saturation campaigns.

Relevance  

GS 2 – Governance & Welfare

• Social security schemes for vulnerable sections.
• Financial inclusion under JAM / DBT.
• Role of institutions: PFRDA, NABARD, NRLM, SHGs.

GS 3 – Economy

• Unorganised sector labour dynamics.
• Social infrastructure (old-age security).
• Digital financial services, FinTech-led onboarding.

What is Atal Pension Yojana?

• Launched: 9 May 2015.
• Purpose: Create a universal social security net for low-income & unorganised sector workers.
• Coverage:
  • All Indian citizens aged 18–40 with a savings bank/post office account.
• Pension: Guaranteed monthly pension on turning 60 years (₹1,000–₹5,000 depending on contribution).
• Pension payouts will largely start from 2035 onwards (when earliest cohorts turn 60).

Latest Data (2025)

• Total enrolments: 8,34,13,738 (8.34 crore).
• Women subscribers: 4.04 crore → 48% share.
• Pan-India implementation through:
  • Banks (PSBs/Private/RRBs/SFBs),
  • Cooperative banks,
  • Payments banks,
  • Department of Posts.

Why APY Matters for India’s Social Security Architecture ?

• India has over 90% workforce in unorganised sector (ILO, PLFS).
• Lack of formal pension coverage → vulnerability in old age.
• APY ensures:
  • Long-term savings discipline,
  • State-backed guaranteed pension,
  • Financial inclusion (FI) deepening post-JAM trinity.

Key Drivers Behind the Rise in APY Enrolment

Awareness & Behavioural Nudges

• Continuous advertising across print, electronic, social media.
• Vernacular outreach: Brochures in 13 languages.
• FI saturation drives across states.

Institutional Support

• Engagement of:
  • NABARD,
  • NCFE,
  • NRLM/SRLM,
  • Ministries & SHG networks (bank sakhis).
• Virtual capacity-building for BCs → grassroots mobilisation.

Digital Onboarding

• e-APY, net banking, mobile apps → frictionless enrolment.
• PoP-APY ecosystem strengthened inside banking networks.

Gender Dimension: Why Women Form 48% Subscribers

• Strong SHG & NRLM mobilisation (7.2 crore women in SHGs nationwide).
• Women’s rising participation in financial inclusion:
  • 56% of PMJDY accounts belong to women.
• Pension products provide security for widows, elderly women, SHG households.

Challenges

• Low pension adequacy (₹1,000–₹5,000) may be insufficient for inflation-adjusted needs.
• Contribution burden on low-income households.
• High dropout risk when incomes fluctuate.
• Lack of financial awareness about long-term benefits.

Opportunities Ahead

• Integration with gig economy workers.
• Linking with Nudges (auto-debit reminders, default enrolment).
• Enhancing pension amount through inflation-indexing (future reform potential).
• Multi-lingual digital campaigns for deeper state-level penetration.

Conclusion

• APY represents India’s first scalable, contributory micro-pension system for informal workers.
• High women participation underlines the success of community-based mobilisation via SHGs.
• Strengthening APY is central to India’s future challenge of ageing and informal sector vulnerability.