Current Affairs Quiz - February 2025

Notes:
Indian Air Force officer and ISRO astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla was named the pilot for Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4). Ax-4 is the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The mission is organized by Axiom Space in collaboration with NASA. The crew will launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. They will spend up to 14 days on the ISS conducting scientific research and technology demonstrations.

Notes:
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated Project Abhay, an initiative to boost truck drivers’ health and safety. The project, developed by IIT Delhi’s Centre for Rural Development & Technology (CRDT), screens truck drivers’ health. Over 50,000 truck drivers across six states were screened, focusing on health and vision issues. More than half of drivers had vision problems, and the project successfully corrected many. The initiative improved drivers’ social security benefits and quality of life.

Notes:
RBI released the Digital Payments Index (RBI-DPI) to measure the growth of digital transactions in India. Digital payments grew by 11.1% YoY as of September 2024. The RBI-DPI for September 2024 stood at 465.33, up from 445.50 in March 2024. The index tracks five key factors: Payment Enablers, Infrastructure (Demand & Supply), Payment Performance, and Consumer Centricity. UPI’s share in digital payments surged from 34% in 2019 to 83% in 2024, with a CAGR of 74%. UPI transactions grew from ₹5.86 lakh crore (2018) to ₹246.83 lakh crore (2024).

Notes:
The government posthumously honored Chaman Arora with the Sahitya Akademi Award 2024 in the Dogri language category. He received the award for his book Ik Hor Ashwthama. The Ministry of Culture confirmed the selection based on a unanimous jury recommendation. Sahitya Akademi President Madhav Kaushik approved the decision. The award includes a casket with an engraved copper plaque and a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh. Arora’s family will receive the award at a special event on March 8 in New Delhi.

Notes:
The Election Commission of India (ECI) launched the “Chandrayaan Se Chunao Tak” initiative in West Delhi during the assembly elections. The campaign aims to engage voters by linking India’s space achievements, especially the Chandrayaan mission, with the electoral process. It is an innovative approach to raise awareness and encourage voter participation.

Notes:
The upcoming India-US defence deal includes co-production of Stryker infantry combat vehicles. Stryker is an eight-wheel-drive combat vehicle developed for the US Army by General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS). It was the first new military vehicle inducted into the US Army since the 1980s. The Stryker family includes different variants like infantry carriers, mobile gun systems, and medical evacuation vehicles. It is known for speed and flexibility in urban warfare. The vehicle has a range of 483 km, top speed of 100 km/h, and is air-transportable by C-17 and C-130 aircraft.

Notes:
India is now the world’s second-largest mobile manufacturing country after China, followed by Vietnam. 99.2% of mobile phones sold in India are made domestically. Mobile phones account for 43% of India’s total electronics production. The electronics sector grew rapidly, reaching a valuation of USD 155 billion in FY23. Electronics production nearly doubled from USD 48 billion in FY17 to USD 101 billion in FY23. Electronics is now India’s fifth-largest export commodity. Despite growth, India holds less than 1% of the global electronics export share.

Notes:
The Ministry of Ayush launched the “Shatavari – For Better Health” campaign to promote awareness of medicinal plants. It was inaugurated by Shri Prataprao Jadhav, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Ayush. The campaign is led by the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), which has previously promoted Amla, Moringa, Giloe, and Ashwagandha. Financial assistance of ₹18.9 lakh will support eligible organizations in promoting Shatavari. The initiative strengthens India’s focus on traditional medicine and holistic well-being.

Notes:
Amphex 2025, a biennial tri-Services amphibious exercise, is conducted at Karwar, Karnataka. It focuses on interoperability and synergy between the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. The exercise includes Sudarshan Chakra Corps of the Army’s Southern Command, along with key Navy and Air Force formations. The Navy deploys amphibious ships, Marine Commandos (MARCOS), helicopters, and aircraft. The Army participates with Special Forces, Artillery, and Armoured vehicles. The IAF supports with fighter and transport aircraft to enhance joint amphibious capabilities.

Notes:
“Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” (BBBP) was launched in 2015 to address gender imbalance and child sex ratio issues in India. Odisha implemented several schemes under BBBP, including “Nirbhaya Kadhi” in Ganjam, “Kalpana Avijan” in Dhenkanal, “Swarna Kalika” in Keonjhar, and “Veerangana Yojana” in Deogarh. “Nirbhaya Kadhi” in Ganjam covered 183,933 adolescent girls, leading to the district being declared child marriage-free in 2022. “Kalpana Avijan” in Dhenkanal tracked and prevented 343 child marriages from 2019-2024. “Swarna Kalika” in Keonjhar reduced child marriages by 50% through awareness campaigns. “Veerangana” in Deogarh trained 6,000 girls in self-defense and won the SKOCH Award.