Current Affairs Quiz – August 2025

Notes:
Recently, the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) launched the “Saksham Niveshak” campaign. It is a 100-day national drive running from 28th July to 6th November 2025. IEPFA works under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. The campaign aims to help shareholders reclaim unclaimed dividends held by companies. It guides investors to update their Know Your Customer (KYC) and nomination details. Companies are encouraged to proactively contact shareholders to recover pending dividends.

Notes:
Recently, at Ramsar COP15 held at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, India introduced a resolution on ‘Promoting Sustainable Lifestyles for the Wise Use of Wetlands’. The resolution was adopted with support from 172 Ramsar Contracting Parties, 6 International Organisation Partners, and other observers. It highlights the importance of individual and societal choices in wetland conservation and promotes a pro-planet lifestyle. It urges countries to integrate lifestyle-based interventions into wetland policies, plans, and investments. The resolution calls for public-private collaboration, education at all levels, and awareness to promote wise use of wetlands.

Notes:
Renowned economist and UK House of Lords member Lord Meghnad Desai passed away recently at age 85. He was born in 1940 in Vadodara, Gujarat as Meghnad Jagdishchandra Desai. He earned BA and MA in Economics from University of Mumbai and completed PhD from University of Pennsylvania in 1963. He authored over 200 academic papers and 8 books, including Marxian Economic Theory and The Rediscovery of India. He was a pioneer in Marxian economics, globalisation, and development economics. In 1991, he became the first Indian-origin Labour Party peer in the House of Lords.

Notes:
On 1 August 2025, the Union Government informed Lok Sabha that 13 river stretches in Gujarat are officially classified as polluted. Sabarmati River, especially the stretch between Raysan to Vautha, is the worst affected with a Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) level of 292 mg/litre. Sabarmati River is a monsoon-fed, west-flowing river. It originates from the Aravalli Mountain Range in Udaipur district, Rajasthan. The river is called Wakal in its early course and flows southwest through Rajasthan and Gujarat. It empties into the Gulf of Khambhat in the Arabian Sea.

Notes:
Recently, the ‘Matri Van’ initiative was launched by the Union Ministers for Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Housing and Urban Affairs. It is part of the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ programme of the Government of India. Matri Van is a theme-based urban forest to be developed over 750 acres in the Aravalli Hill area. It aims to promote biodiversity, public well-being, and urban sustainability through mother-nature-inspired efforts. It includes removal of invasive Kabuli Kikar (Prosopis juliflora) and plantation of native Dhak and Amaltash trees.

Notes:
On 2 August 2025, the Uttar Pradesh (UP) government launched a new initiative to convert cow dung from stray cattle into eco-friendly products. Around 54 lakh kg of cow dung is generated daily in the state. Products include bioplastics, bio-polymers, bio-textiles, paper, eco-friendly clothing, compost, biogas, and nanocellulose. The initiative supports the ‘Har Gaon Urja Kendra’ model for rural energy and self-reliance. It aims to reduce plastic pollution and promote organic farming and rural employment. Gau Seva Commission Chairman Shyam Bihari Gupta said it aligns with CM Yogi Adityanath’s rural development vision.

Notes:
The first-ever Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Traditional Music Festival was held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The event was inaugurated by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar. It was organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) under the theme ‘SaptaSur: Seven Nations, One Melody’. Artists from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand performed. The festival celebrated the unique traditional music of all seven BIMSTEC countries.

Notes:
India ranks second in global fish production, after China. Union Minister of Fisheries and Animal Husbandry stated this at a recent programme in Kolkata. Fish production in India rose by 103% in 2024–25 compared to 2013–14. Inland fisheries contribute nearly 75% of total fish production in India. Fisheries sector forms 1.12% of national Gross Value Added (GVA) and 7.26% of agricultural GVA. Around 30 million people are involved in the fisheries value chain. Union Budget 2025–26 proposed the highest ever financial support for fisheries sector.

Notes:
Operation Akhal was launched by Indian security forces in Kulgam district, Jammu and Kashmir on August 2, 2025. The operation began after intelligence inputs about the presence of 3–5 terrorists in the Akhal Khulsan forest area. It involved the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Police, and Special Operations Group (SOG). One terrorist was neutralised during an intense and intermittent overnight firefight. Operation Mahadev earlier killed three Pakistani terrorists, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Suleman Shah on July 28 in Dachigam National Park.

Notes:
NITI Aayog recently launched the India Electric Mobility Index (IEMI). India Electric Mobility Index (IEMI) is a first-of-its-kind tool to track and rank States and Union Territories (UTs) on electric mobility progress. It evaluates all States and UTs out of 100 across 16 indicators under 3 core themes. Transport Electrification Progress measures electric vehicle (EV) adoption on the demand side. Charging Infrastructure Readiness tracks EV charging network development. EV Research and Innovation Status evaluates supply-side research and development.