Current Affairs Quiz - April 2025

Notes:
The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh recently approved changes to improve the Mukhyamantri Kanya Vivaah/Nikah Scheme, making it more effective and transparent. The scheme was started in 2006 by the Social Justice and Disabled Welfare Department of the Madhya Pradesh Government. It is implemented through the Deendayal Antyodaya Mission, which focuses on supporting poor and marginalized communities. The aim of the scheme is to give financial help to poor, destitute, abandoned, and widowed girls. It does this by organizing mass marriage and nikah (Muslim marriage) events. The recent changes aim to ensure better monitoring and reach of the benefits.

Notes:
The Karnataka government may soon increase the rates of medical procedures under the modified Yeshasvini health scheme. A committee led by Kudligi MLA Srinivas N.T., an eye specialist, has recommended up to 50% rise in rates for complex procedures like paediatric heart surgery, cancer treatment, neurosurgery, and interventional radiology. The Yeshasvini Health scheme was launched by Karnataka government in 2003. It is one of India’s largest self-funded healthcare schemes. It was merged with other schemes under Arogya Karnataka in 2018 but relaunched in 2022–2023 due to public demand.

Notes:
India became the world’s first country to successfully artificially breed the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) with the birth of the third chick at Jaisalmer’s Desert National Park. The technology and training for artificial insemination were obtained from the Abu Dhabi-based “International Fund for Houbara Conservation” and specialized training from the Wildlife Institute of India. The GIB is protected under the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972.

Notes:
World Malaria Day is observed every year on April 25th to raise awareness about malaria. It is a global initiative by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to fight against malaria and work towards its elimination. The theme for this year is “Malaria ends with us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite,” urging renewed action at all levels. Malaria is caused by parasites transmitted through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. It affects millions, mostly in tropical and subtropical regions, and remains a serious public health challenge.

Notes:
Brazil has won the bid to host the 10th edition of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) Women’s World Cup 2027. Brazil received the maximum votes at the FIFA Congress held in Bangkok, Thailand, on 25 April 2025. This is the first time a South American country will host the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The 9th edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup was jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand in 2023. Spain won the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup by defeating England in the final. Brazil had earlier hosted the FIFA Men’s World Cup in 1950 and 2014.

Notes:
Recently, the global fight against malnutrition gained momentum at the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit held in Paris, where world leaders renewed their commitment to end all forms of malnutrition. The Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit 2025, hosted by France in Paris, aims to address global malnutrition and promote better nutrition. At the same time, the United Nations General Assembly extended the Decade of Action on Nutrition to 2030, aligning it with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Earlier efforts mainly focused on food access and early childhood nutrition, but now there is a shift towards strong nutrition education, especially for school children and adolescents. A key takeaway from the N4G Summit side event ‘Learn to Eat Well: Bio-diverse Diets and Youth as Agents of Change’ was to include nutrition education in school curriculums. This education should go beyond just calorie counting and teach young people to make informed, sustainable, and culturally respectful food choices.

Notes:
The women of the Lanjia Saora tribal group in Gunupur, Rayagada district, Odisha, celebrate the mango harvest with traditional dance. The Lanjia Saora are a culturally rich subgroup of the Saora tribe. The Lanjia Saora tribe is primarily found in Odisha, specifically in the forested hills of Gajapati and Rayagada districts. They speak Saora, a Mundari language of the Austroasiatic family. The Lanjia Saora perform vibrant dances with spontaneous songs, using brass pipes, cymbals, and gongs.

Notes:
Madhya Pradesh has become the first state in India to launch an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based real-time forest alert system for active forest management. This pilot system uses satellite images, mobile feedback, and machine learning to detect forest land encroachment, land use change, and degradation. It is currently being tested in five forest divisions – Shivpuri, Guna, Vidisha, Burhanpur, and Khandwa – known for encroachment and tree felling. Alerts include detailed features like GPS-tagged images, voice notes, and comments, enriched with vegetation and radar indexes such as NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), SAVI (Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index), EVI (Enhanced Vegetation Index), and SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar).

Notes:
The Sachet mobile application was launched by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to improve disaster preparedness in India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently highlighted it in his ‘Mann ki Baat’ address. The app sends real-time geo-tagged alerts using the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), based on the user’s location. Citizens can subscribe to disaster alerts for specific states or districts, making awareness more local and effective. It covers disasters like floods, cyclones, landslides, tsunamis, and forest fires. It also provides weather updates from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and includes helpline numbers and safety tips. The app uses satellite connectivity to work even when regular networks fail.

Notes:
World Veterinary Day 2025 was observed on April 26th to celebrate the role of veterinary professionals. The 2025 theme, “Animal Health Takes a Team,” highlights the importance of teamwork in veterinary medicine. It was first started by the World Veterinary Association (WVA) in the year 2000. In India, it is led by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. The day recognises the efforts of veterinarians in improving animal health, protecting human health, and safeguarding the environment. India has over 536 million livestock, the highest in the world.