Business, Economy & Banking Current Affairs MCQs

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According to the Monthly Bulletin of Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), India’s unemployment rate fell to 5.2% in July 2025 from 5.6% in June 2025. PLFS gives estimates of Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), Worker Population Ratio (WPR), and Unemployment Rate (UR). The survey is conducted by the National Sample Survey (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).

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India has become the world’s third-largest solar power producer, surpassing Japan, as per International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). India generated 1,08,494 GWh of solar energy, while Japan produced 96,459 GWh. China is the world’s largest solar power producer, generating the highest amount of solar electricity annually. United States holds the second position with large-scale solar farms and widespread adoption of rooftop systems. As of July 2025, India’s total solar capacity is 119.02 GW, with 90.99 GW from ground-mounted plants, 19.88 GW from rooftop systems, 3.06 GW from hybrid projects, and 5.09 GW from off-grid installations.

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State Bank of India (SBI) has launched a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) at the State Bank Academy (SBA), Gurugram. The Centre of Excellence (CoE) aims to strengthen the MSME ecosystem through capacity building, research, and industry collaboration, supporting India’s vision of becoming a developed nation. State Bank Academy (SBA) provides specialised training in Credit, International Banking, Risk & Compliance, and conducts Research & Development (R&D) in banking. Centre of Excellence (CoE) will develop case studies, research, and online knowledge repositories for MSMEs, including remote areas.

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The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has officially launched the Bima Sugam Portal. The launch was announced by the Bima Sugam India Federation (BSIF) at the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) headquarters in Hyderabad. It is a unified digital marketplace for insurance bringing insurers, intermediaries, and customers on one platform. The platform unifies life, health, motor, travel, property, agriculture, and commercial insurance on a single digital space. The portal is backed by the Life Insurance Council and the General Insurance Council (GIC).

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The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), with a corpus over ₹25 lakh crore, announced Shri Vivekanand Gupta, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner, selected for the Public Financial Asset Management (PFAM) Program 2025–26. PFAM is a prestigious initiative jointly organised by the World Bank and Milken Institute. Shri Gupta is the first-ever participant from EPFO and the sole representative from India. Selection was made by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Academy of Social Security (PDUNASS) through an internal nomination process. PFAM, hosted at Bayes Business School, City, University of London, trains senior professionals in capital markets, governance, and strategic asset management.

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Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) launched SWAGAT-FI on September 16, 2025. SWAGAT-FI stands for Simplified Wrapper Framework for Facilitating Access to GIFT-IFSC for Foreign Investors. The framework targets low-risk foreign investors like sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, and long-term institutional investors. Eligible investors can now register for 10 years, up from the earlier 3-year cycle, reducing administrative hurdles. A digital portal allows onboarding in about a week, using a single demat account to manage all investments. It integrates with Gujarat International Finance Tec-City International Financial Services Centre (GIFT-IFSC) for easier global access.

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On the decade-long celebrations of Make in India, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, launched Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS) 2025 in New Delhi. LEADS 2025 benchmarks logistics performance across States and Union Territories (UTs), supporting a globally competitive and future-ready logistics ecosystem. India is emerging as a global manufacturing hub under Make in India, with growth in pharmaceuticals and engineering goods. Efficient logistics reduces costs and strengthens manufacturing competitiveness. LEADS 2025 introduces corridor performance assessment and API-enabled evaluation of road speeds.

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Indian travelers can now use Unified Payments Interface (UPI) apps to make purchases in Qatar, the eighth country to adopt UPI for international payments. Qatar Duty Free is the first merchant to accept QR code-based UPI transactions. NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL), Qatar National Bank (QNB), and Japanese gateway NETSTARS enabled UPI at select point-of-sale (POS) terminals. Other countries with UPI access include Bhutan, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and United Arab Emirates. The move promotes a globally interoperable payment network and cross-border digital transactions.

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India has proposed a revamp of Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) 3 norms with a new draft released for public consultation. CAFE norms regulate fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions from passenger vehicles under 3,500 kg. They apply to petrol, diesel, LPG, CNG, hybrid, and electric vehicles. In India, CAFE norms were implemented in two phases: Phase 1 (2017–18) and Phase 2 (2022–23). The objective is to improve fuel efficiency, reduce emissions, and promote cleaner vehicles. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), a statutory body under the Ministry of Power, Government of India, introduced the Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) norms in India.

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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched the nationwide ‘Aapki Punji Aapka Adhikar’ campaign from Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The campaign aims to ensure speedy settlement of unclaimed financial assets across banks, insurance companies, pension funds, stock, and mutual fund companies. It focuses on returning deposits to legitimate claimants and bridging the gap between financial institutions and citizens. Currently, ₹1,82,000 crore of unclaimed assets lie with financial institutions nationwide. Certificates were awarded to claimants confirming the retrieval of their unclaimed assets. The initiative promotes financial empowerment and awareness among citizens.