Business, Economy & Banking Current Affairs MCQs

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The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kotak Mahindra Bank and launched the ‘Niveshak Shivir’ initiative to boost digital investor awareness and financial literacy in India. The IEPFA was set up in 2016 under the Companies Act, 2013 to manage the Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF) and safeguard investor interests. It works under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. ‘Niveshak Shivir’ is a joint effort by IEPFA and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to simplify the process of reclaiming unclaimed dividends and shares. These camps will begin in May 2025 in Mumbai and Ahmedabad, targeting areas with high numbers of unclaimed dividend holders. One-stop kiosks will help investors update Know Your Customer (KYC) details, verify claims, and receive instant help for grievances. The aim is to reduce reliance on intermediaries and prevent fraud and misinformation.

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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made it mandatory for all banks, financial institutions, and regulated entities to submit applications through the PRAVAAH portal from May 1, 2025. PRAVAAH stands for Platform for Regulatory Application, Validation, and Authorization. It is a secure, web-based digital portal launched by RBI on May 28, 2024. The portal serves as a single-window system for applying for RBI permissions, licenses, and approvals. This step aims to improve transparency, reduce paperwork, and speed up the approval process. It ensures faster communication between applicants and the RBI.

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Maharashtra has topped the CareEdge State Ranking Report 2025, released by CARE Ratings Ltd (CareEdge Ratings). This is the second edition of the CareEdge State Rankings. The rankings evaluate state performance across seven key pillars: economic performance, fiscal management, infrastructure development, financial sector growth, social development, governance quality, and environmental sustainability. The evaluation uses 50 measurable indicators. The primary aim is to provide a data-driven assessment of state performance. The rankings help identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities for policy improvement. This report offers valuable insights for improving state governance and development strategies.

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India has become the third-largest vehicle manufacturer in the world as per Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways. This was highlighted at the 4th International Bioenergy Biofuels Biomass (BBB) Summit and Expo on Bioenergy Value Chain held in New Delhi. The growing demand for various types of vehicles is increasing fossil fuel consumption. There is a strong push to reduce fuel imports and increase exports to strengthen the economy. The summit also focused on promoting technologies that use the country’s biomass resources for energy.

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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made it mandatory for Regulated Entities (REs) to report details of their Digital Lending Apps (DLAs) through the Centralised Information Management System (CIMS) portal. Centralised Information Management System (CIMS) is a modern data management platform introduced by the RBI to handle large-scale data processing, analysis, and sharing. It acts as a central data warehouse, using advanced tools for data mining, text analysis, and visual insights across financial and economic sectors. It improves the efficiency of regulatory reporting and reduces workload for banks and regulated firms. It helps RBI monitor the financial system better and react faster to potential risks.

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India’s first hydrogen fuel cell truck was launched by Adani Enterprises for mining logistics at the Gare Pelma III coal block in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh. The truck can carry up to 40 tons of coal over a 200-kilometre range using three hydrogen tanks and smart technology. It will transport coal to the Chhattisgarh State Power Generation Company Limited’s power plant. Adani Enterprises was selected as mine developer and operator through competitive bidding. Hydrogen fuel cell trucks emit only water vapour and warm air with less noise, unlike diesel vehicles. The shift from diesel to hydrogen will cut emissions, reduce oil imports, and support cleaner energy use in mining.

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The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has launched the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) to help detect mobile numbers linked to fraud. FRI is a risk-based system that classifies mobile numbers as Medium, High, or Very High risk based on fraud-related activity. It gathers data from multiple sources like the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), DoT’s Chakshu platform, and alerts from banks, Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), and Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platforms. When a number is flagged, FRI uses advanced analysis to assess its fraud risk. This data is shared with financial institutions through the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP). It helps banks and UPI providers take extra steps to protect customers or block risky transactions.

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India attracted a record USD 81.04 billion in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the fiscal year 2024–25, a 14% rise from the previous year. This growth was supported by liberalized policies and strong inflows in services and manufacturing. The services sector received the highest FDI equity at 19%, followed by computer software and hardware at 16%, and trading at 8%. FDI in services rose by 40.77% to USD 9.35 billion from USD 6.64 billion. Maharashtra received the highest share of FDI at 39%, followed by Karnataka at 13% and Delhi at 12%. From 2014 to 2025, India attracted USD 748.78 billion in FDI, 143% more than the USD 308.38 billion received from 2003 to 2014.

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The Union Finance Minister recently chaired the 6th meeting of the Governing Council of the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) in New Delhi to review fund performance, strategic partnerships, and new fund launches. The National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) is a government-anchored investment platform that mobilizes long-term capital for infrastructure and key sectors in India. NIIF was announced in the Union Budget 2015–16 and established in 2015. Its headquarters is in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

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According to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Maharashtra and Karnataka together accounted for 51% of India’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows in 2024–25. Maharashtra received the highest FDI at $19.6 billion, which is 31% of the national total. Karnataka came next with $6.62 billion in overseas investment. They were followed by Delhi ($6 billion), Gujarat ($5.71 billion), Tamil Nadu ($3.68 billion), Haryana ($3.14 billion), and Telangana ($3 billion). Total FDI inflow rose 14% to $81.04 billion in 2024–25, the highest in three years.