Best Current Affairs Questions

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The Jal Shakti Ministry is requesting Rs 2.79 lakh crore additional funding for the Jal Jeevan Mission. The mission was launched by the Prime Minister in 2019. Its aim is to provide tap water connections to around 16 crore rural households, aiming for full coverage by 2028 (previously set for 2024). Key components include source sustainability, greywater management, water conservation, and rainwater harvesting. The mission empowers women by reducing the burden of water collection, improving their health, education, and socio-economic status. It enhances the dignity and quality of life for rural families, contributing to their overall ease of living.

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The 2024 report titled “Plant Breeding Programmes in Indian Zoos: Assessment and Strategic Actions” by the Central Zoo Authority highlighted a gap in conservation breeding for the endangered Himalayan Musk Deer in Indian zoos. The Himalayan Musk Deer (Moschus leucogaster) is native to the Himalayas and can be found in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, and China. It inhabits alpine forests and scrublands. Known for being solitary, nocturnal, and territorial, the males have curved canines and a musk gland, making them vulnerable to poaching. The species is listed as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and is under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

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AIIMS Raipur has successfully performed its first Swap Kidney Transplant, also known as a Kidney Paired Transplant. With this, it became the first among the newer All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and the first government hospital in Chhattisgarh to perform this complex surgery. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare highlighted it as a major step in advanced healthcare. This procedure helps patients with end-stage kidney disease by increasing transplant options through donor pairing. Swap Kidney Transplant is estimated to boost the number of kidney transplants by 15 percent. The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) has recommended all states and Union Territories adopt this method to improve donor availability.

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The 2025 Conferences of the Parties (COPs) of the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions will be held in Geneva from April 28 to May 9. The conferences aim to address hazardous chemicals like chlorpyrifos. Chlorpyrifos is a pesticide classified as ‘moderately hazardous’ by the World Health Organization. Despite being banned in over 40 countries, it is still approved for use in India on 18 crops. The chemical is linked to neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, irreversible brain damage in unborn children, and environmental contamination due to its mobility.

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Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Balasore District of Odisha and lies in the Eastern Ghats. It covers an area of 272 square kilometers and is part of the Chota Nagpur Plateau region. It forms a vital part of the Similipal-Kuldiha-Hadgarh Elephant Reserve, which helps protect elephant populations in eastern India. The sanctuary is ecologically linked to the Simlipal Tiger Reserve through the Nato and Sukhupada Hill ranges. It has several water sources, including the Kuldiha stream and its tributaries, supporting rich wildlife. Recently, forest staff arrested a man with a country-made gun and hunting tools during patrolling here.

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The National AYUSH Mission (NAM) Conference 2025 takes place on May 1-2 at Kaivalyadhama in Lonavala, Maharashtra. The event is organized by the Ministry of Ayush to strengthen the integration of traditional Indian medicine systems into mainstream healthcare. The conclave aims to foster a collaborative ecosystem, discuss latest developments, research innovations, and sectoral collaborations across various AYUSH systems.

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The government has revamped the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) after the Pahalgam terror attack, appointing former intelligence chief Alok Joshi as chairman. National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) is an advisory body under the National Security Council (NSC) structure. It is chaired by the Prime Minister, supported by the National Security Advisor (NSA) and the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS). Established in 1998 after the Pokhran-II nuclear tests, it institutionalized India’s national security framework. The NSAB provides non-partisan strategic inputs on national security issues but is not a decision-making body. It reports to the NSCS and includes experts from various sectors.

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The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are now working together under the wastepickers component of the National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) Scheme. UNDP is providing financial support to State Project Management Units (PMUs) to strengthen the scheme’s implementation. The NAMASTE Scheme was jointly launched by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in 2023 to protect the safety and dignity of sanitation workers. Its wastepicker component was launched in 2024 with the goal to digitally profile and register 2.5 lakh wastepickers across India. It also provides health insurance under Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), and offers skill development training.

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The Governor of Telangana, Jishnu Dev Verma, inaugurated Babuji Vanam, the world’s first energy transmission garden in Hyderabad. The garden was developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Babuji Maharaj and the end of a year-long national celebration. Located in Kanha Village, Ranga Reddy district, Telangana, the site promotes yogic energy transmission called Pranahuti. The initiative is led by Heartfulness and promotes meditation, wellness, and sustainable living. More than 50,000 people attended the event in person, while millions joined online from 165 countries.

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According to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Global Methane Tracker 2025, the energy sector emitted about 145 million tonnes of methane in 2024. The Global Methane Tracker 2025 is released by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Oil and gas facilities alone contributed over 80 million tonnes. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas responsible for around 30% of global warming since the Industrial Revolution. Its current level in the atmosphere is 2.5 times higher than in preindustrial times and is increasing faster than other gases. The main human sources of methane are agriculture, energy, and waste sectors. The energy sector alone contributes over 35% of human-caused methane emissions.