Current Affairs Quiz - April 2025

Notes:
The Green Credit Programme (GCP) was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) despite concerns from the Law Ministry over its legal validity. Green Credit (GC) is an incentive unit for engaging in environmentally positive activities and can be traded like carbon credits. The Green Credit Programme (GCP) operates under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. It aims to increase forest cover, promote sustainable practices, and reward pro-environmental actions. Individuals, communities, and industries can earn Green Credits by participating in afforestation, water conservation, and sustainable agriculture. These credits can be sold to industries needing to meet environmental obligations like compensatory afforestation.

Notes:
A 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck near Tonga, triggering a tsunami warning. Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga, is an archipelago of 169 islands, with 36 inhabited. It lies south of Samoa, east of Fiji, and north of the Tropic of Capricorn in the South Pacific Ocean. The western islands are volcanic, with four active volcanoes, while the eastern islands are coral and low-lying. Tongatapu, Ha’apai, and Vava’u are the largest islands, with Nuku‘alofa as the capital. Located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, Tonga frequently experiences volcanic activity.

Notes:
The fourth edition of Exercise Tiger Triumph, a bilateral India-US Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise, takes place from April 1 to 13, 2025, on the Eastern Seaboard. The exercise aims to enhance interoperability and create Standard Operating Procedures for a Combined Coordination Center between Indian and US Joint Task Forces. Indian participants include naval ships, Army troops, Air Force aircraft, and a Rapid Action Medical Team. US participants include Navy ships and US Marine Division troops. The exercise includes a Harbour Phase in Visakhapatnam and a Sea Phase near Kakinada.

Notes:
The government has launched ZooWIN, a digital platform to track real-time availability of anti-rabies vaccines (ARV) and anti-snake venom (ASV) nationwide. ZooWIN is similar to Co-WIN and U-WIN, centralizing data for better coordination among healthcare providers, municipal authorities, and veterinary services. It supports the Union Health Ministry’s efforts to combat rabies and snakebites under the National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming (NAPSE). India records 3–4 million snakebites annually, causing around 50,000 deaths, half of the global snakebite mortality. The platform is initially piloted in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Puducherry, and Andhra Pradesh.

Notes:
The Indian Naval Sailing Vessel Tarini reached Cape Town, South Africa, in its final international stop of the Navika Sagar Parikrama II global circumnavigation. INSV Tarini is a 56-foot, indigenously built sailing vessel commissioned in February 2017 by the Indian Navy. It was built by Aquarius Shipyard Ltd., Goa, under the Make in India initiative. It has advanced navigation, satellite communication, and emergency steering for extreme conditions. It was named after the Tara-Tarini hill shrine in Odisha, historically revered by sailors. The expedition began on October 2, 2024, covering 23,400 nautical miles across three oceans and three major capes in eight months.

Notes:
A rare snake species, Ahaetulla longirostris (long-snouted vine snake), was discovered in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, Uttar Pradesh. It was found during a rhino shifting operation in the Palia division of the reserve. Previously, this snake was only recorded in Valmiki Tiger Reserve, West Champaran, Bihar. It has a long, slender body with green or brown coloration, helping it blend into trees. Its distinct long nose (rostral) is a key identification feature. It primarily lives on trees and hides among branches. It is mildly venomous, but its poison is not dangerous to humans.

Notes:
A United States (U.S.) national was arrested in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for allegedly entering the prohibited tribal reserve area of North Sentinel Island. North Sentinel Island is part of the Andaman Islands, an Indian Union Territory in the Bay of Bengal. It is located west of the central Andaman Islands and covers about 60 square kilometers. The island is densely forested, surrounded by a shallow reef, and home to the Sentinelese tribe. The Sentinelese are believed to be direct descendants of the first humans who migrated from Africa around 60,000 years ago. They have lived in isolation for thousands of years, resisting contact with the outside world. The island is protected under the Andaman and Nicobar Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Act, 1956, prohibiting anyone from approaching within 5 nautical miles.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet approved the second phase of the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) with an outlay of ₹6,839 crore for border villages. Vibrant Villages Programme was launched in 2023 for the all-round development of villages near the International Border. The first phase covered villages in 46 blocks along the northern border in 19 districts of Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and Ladakh. Under the programme, 17 border villages will be developed as tourist destinations. The second phase will cover Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Punjab to boost livelihood, prosperity, and safety. Vibrant Villages Programme is implemented by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

Notes:
Indian sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik became the first Indian to receive the Fred Darrington Sand Master Award for excellence in sand art. The award was presented at the Sandworld 2025 International Sand Art Festival in Dorset, England, marking the 100th birth anniversary of British sculptor Fred Darrington. To celebrate, Pattnaik made a 10-foot-high sand sculpture of Lord Ganesha with the message of “World Peace”. A Padma Shri awardee from Odisha, he has taken part in over 65 international sand art events, gaining global fame for his spiritual and social themes. The Sandworld exhibition at Lodmoor Park features global artists using only sand and water to craft giant sculptures.

Notes:
Union Home Minister spoke at Bastar Pandum festival in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh, to celebrate tribal culture and progress. Bastar Pandum is a three-day festival that revives and showcases the tribal traditions, customs, arts, and food of the Bastar region, Chhattisgarh. Events included competitions in tribal dance, folk songs, dramas, musical instruments, traditional costumes, jewelry, crafts, and cuisine. The festival aims to bring tribal culture to national and international attention. The minister also highlighted government efforts to end Naxalism and promote complete development in tribal areas, ensuring peace, culture, and growth go hand-in-hand.