Business, Economy & Banking Current Affairs MCQs

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According to Official Airline Guide (OAG) data, India has become the third-largest domestic aviation market globally. India ranks behind the United States and China in domestic aviation capacity. India surpassed Brazil and Indonesia to achieve this position. The Government has taken several steps to boost the civil aviation sector. These steps include developing international aviation hubs and establishing Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities. The Government has also prepared an International Aviation Hub Strategy to strengthen aviation infrastructure.

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The Government recently announced the launch of the ₹25,016 crore Lakhanpur Coal Gasification Project at Lakhanpur in Jharsuguda district, Odisha. The Lakhanpur Project will be India’s first commercial-scale coal-to-ammonium nitrate facility, producing 2,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate per day. It is being developed by Bharat Coal Gasification and Chemicals Limited (BCGCL), a joint venture of BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited) and CIL (Coal India Limited). The project aims to strengthen energy security, promote import substitution, and support Atmanirbhar Bharat.

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National Payments Corporation of India launched Drunix, an open-source blockchain platform. The purpose of this is to build and scale tokenisation platforms, support digital asset ecosystems and enable multi-organisation blockchain networks. Drunix is a high-performance distributed ledger platform designed for enterprise and public infrastructure adoption. Drunix is NPCI’s second major open-source blockchain contribution after Falcon.

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The Union Cabinet approved an additional ₹30,000 crore investment in the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF). NIIF is a Government of India-backed fund created to enhance infrastructure financing in the country.
It is India’s first sovereign wealth fund (SWF). NIIF was registered with SEBI as a Category II Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) in 2015. It serves as a collaborative investment platform for Indian and international investors. NIIF invests in infrastructure, private equity, and other diversified sectors, including greenfield, brownfield, and stalled projects.

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Specialised Investment Funds (SIFs) have crossed ₹13,814 crore in Assets Under Management (AUM) shortly after their introduction. Specialised Investment Funds (SIFs) is a new investment product introduced by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). It aims to bridge the gap between mutual funds and Portfolio Management Services (PMS). The framework was introduced through amendments to the SEBI (Mutual Funds) Regulations, 1996. SIF investment strategies are divided into Equity-oriented, Debt-oriented, and Hybrid strategies. Currently, only one strategy per category is permitted for each SIF.

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As Digital India completes 11 years, eSaras has emerged as a major digital platform empowering rural women entrepreneurs and Self-Help Groups (SHGs). eSaras is a government-backed digital commerce platform developed by the Digital India Corporation (DIC) under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, in collaboration with the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM). The platform connects SHGs, women entrepreneurs, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), and producer collectives directly with customers across India.

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National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) launched Gramodyam, a rural entrepreneurship development programme, on its 45th Foundation Day. The programme is implemented in collaboration with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE). Gramodyam aims to identify, train, mentor, and support aspiring rural entrepreneurs by providing industry-relevant skills, entrepreneurship training, credit facilitation, market linkages, and mentoring. It seeks to promote sustainable rural enterprises, employment generation, and inclusive economic growth.

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The Udyam Registration Portal and Udyam Assist Platform, launched by the Ministry of Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), are promoting the formalisation of MSMEs and strengthening India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Udyam Registration provides a free, paperless, self-declaration-based online registration for MSMEs, while the Udyam Assist Platform helps informal micro enterprises gain formal recognition. These initiatives promote inclusive growth by supporting women, SC/ST entrepreneurs, rural enterprises, artisans, start-ups, and youth entrepreneurs. As July 2026, more than 8.9 crore enterprises have been registered through the two platforms, generating employment for more than 38 crore people.

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The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) recently launched the E-Commerce Council of India (ECCI). It is the first national platform dedicated to strengthening and unifying India’s digital commerce ecosystem. The ECCI aims to bring together policymakers, e-commerce platforms, brands, retailers, logistics providers, technology firms, payment providers, startups, MSMEs, exporters, industry experts, and academic institutions. It promotes collaboration between industry and government for the growth of digital commerce.

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The National Stock Exchange (NSE) has introduced Electronic Gold Receipts (EGRs) as an exchange-traded segment for buying and selling gold in electronic form. EGRs are exchange-traded securities representing ownership of physical gold stored in Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)-regulated vaults. They are held in a demat account, traded like shares with a T+1 settlement cycle, and can be converted into physical gold.