Current Affairs Quiz - April 2025

Notes:
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) released the report “Education and Nutrition: Learn to Eat Well” at the ‘Nutrition for Growth’ event in France on March 27-28, 2025. The report highlights poor nutritional quality in school meals and urges governments to improve food standards. In 2024, 47% of primary school students received school meals, but many lacked proper nutrition. In 2022, 27% of school meals were not designed with nutritionist input. Out of 187 countries, only 93 had school food policies, and 65% had cafeteria food standards. Childhood obesity has more than doubled since 1990, while food insecurity remains a challenge. UNESCO recommends fresh, locally sourced food over ultra-processed options.

Notes:
The Sagarmala Programme, launched in March 2015, aims to revolutionize India’s maritime sector. It was launched by Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways. India’s 7,500 km coastline and 14,500 km of waterways offer significant growth potential. It focuses on streamlining logistics, reducing costs, and improving trade competitiveness via efficient coastal and waterway networks. The program emphasizes port modernization, industrial growth, job creation, and sustainable development. The Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 sets targets for shipbuilding and port handling, aiming to make India a top global maritime leader. 839 projects worth ₹5.79 lakh crores, with 272 completed, investing ₹1.41 lakh crore.

Notes:
Uttar Pradesh became the first state in India to adopt an Agrivoltaic project. Agrivoltaic systems, also known as solar farming, allow farmers to generate electricity while growing crops. In this system, solar panels are installed on agricultural land using Photovoltaic (PV) technology.

Notes:
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav launched the four-day School Chale Hum campaign in Bhopal on April 1, 2025. All CM RISE Schools in the state will be renamed Maharishi Sandipani Vidyalaya. The Education Portal 3.0 was launched to digitize school education processes. The campaign runs from April 1-4, 2025, aiming to improve enrollment, retention, and timely textbook distribution. 5.6 crore textbooks (Classes 1-12), 1.02 crore Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) workbooks, and 26 lakh Bridge Course books will be provided for free.

Notes:
The Indian Navy’s frigate INS Tarkash intercepted and seized over 2500 kg of narcotics in the Western Indian Ocean during a maritime security operation. INS Tarkash is a modern stealth frigate of the Indian Navy. It belongs to the Talwar class of guided missile frigates, which are modified Krivak III-class frigates built by Russia. It was constructed at the Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia. It was commissioned into the Indian Navy on November 9, 2012, in Kaliningrad, Russia. INS Tarkash is part of the Indian Navy’s Western Fleet.

Notes:
Environmentalists have raised concerns with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) about hazardous effluents from Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) being discharged into the Dhansiri River, posing a threat to the local ecosystem. The Dhansiri River is the main river of Golaghat district in Assam and Dimapur district in Nagaland and is a key tributary of the Brahmaputra River. It originates from Laisang Peak in Nagaland and flows about 352 km through varying directions before merging with the Brahmaputra at Dhansirimukh in Assam. The river’s catchment area is around 1,220 square kilometers. It flows along the Nagaland-Assam border, passing through ecologically rich zones like Dhansiri Reserved Forest and Intanki National Park.

Notes:
World Health Day is observed every year on April 7th to promote global health awareness and mark the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO), a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN), established in 1950. The theme for World Health Day 2025 is “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures”, focusing on improving health from the start of life. The campaign urges governments and health organizations to invest in effective programs that support maternal and newborn health. The goal is to reduce preventable deaths and ensure the long-term well-being of both mothers and infants worldwide.

Notes:
A major fire recently broke out in Mukundra Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan due to sparks from stone crushing. Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve is located near Kota in southeastern Rajasthan. It is named after two long, flat-topped hills from the Vindhyan range, stretching 80 km in length and 2 to 5 km in width. The reserve was declared in 2013 and includes Mukundra National Park, Dara Sanctuary, Jawahar Sagar Sanctuary, and part of Chambal Sanctuary. Earlier, it was the royal hunting ground of the Maharaja of Kota.

Notes:
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the 26th edition of “Women and Men in India 2024: Selected Indicators and Data”. The report gives gender-based data on population, education, health, economic participation, and decision-making using official sources. Gender Parity Index (GPI) remains high in primary and higher secondary levels, while upper primary and elementary levels show near parity. Labour Participation Rate (LPFR) for ages 15+ improved from 49.8% in 2017–18 to 60.1% in 2023–24. Women own 39.2% of bank accounts and contribute 39.7% of deposits; rural women hold 42.2% of all accounts. DEMAT accounts grew from 33.26 million in 2021 to 143.02 million in 2024, showing rising stock market participation. Female DEMAT accounts increased from 6.67 million to 27.71 million, while male accounts rose from 26.59 million to 115.31 million. There is a steady rise in female-headed proprietary establishments in manufacturing, trade, and services. In 2024, female voter turnout surpassed male turnout, narrowing the gender gap in voting.

Notes:
A rare long-snouted vine snake called Ahaetulla longirostris was recently rediscovered during a rhino release at Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh. This is the first sighting in Uttar Pradesh and only the second in India, with the first being in Valmiki Tiger Reserve, Bihar. The snake’s usual habitat is in Southeast Asia, and it was also spotted earlier in parts of Odisha. It belongs to the Colubridae family, mostly made up of non-venomous snakes, and has a long green or brown slender body for camouflage. Dudhwa Tiger Reserve lies on the Indo-Nepal border in Lakhimpur Kheri district, Uttar Pradesh, and includes Dudhwa National Park, Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary, Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, and nearby forest areas.