Current Affairs Quiz – August 2025

Notes:
Recently, Uttar Pradesh became the first Indian state to launch an Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data Analytics-based Road Safety Pilot Project. The project is approved by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). Uttar Pradesh has allocated ₹10 crore in the 2025–26 Budget to develop a data-driven model for the Transport Department. Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) will have no financial liability in the project. The AI system will analyse accident reports, weather, vehicles, drivers, and road data to identify accident causes and black spots

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Recently, Kerala High Court directed the State Government and State Wetland Authority Kerala (SWAK) to set up an Ashtamudi Wetland Management Unit within two months of notification. The direction aims to conserve the Ashtamudi wetland, which is facing pollution and encroachment issues. Ashtamudi Lake is located in Kollam district, Kerala. It is the second largest lake in Kerala after Vembanad Lake. It was declared a Ramsar site in 2002 under the Ramsar Convention for wetland conservation.

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Recently, the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) launched two key schemes—Swayamshakti Sahakar Yojna and Nandini Sahakar—to empower women-led cooperatives. Swayamshakti Sahakar Yojna aims to provide low-cost credit to women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and cooperatives for sustainable livelihood activities. It targets Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs), State Cooperative Banks (StCBs), and federated SHG cooperatives. The scheme boosts financial inclusion and promotes self-reliance among rural women. Nandini Sahakar provides holistic support including financial aid, capacity building, and business model development.

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Recently, the Union Government highlighted the progress of Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP) in Parliament. It was launched on 7th April 2016 under the National Health Mission (NHM) to provide free dialysis services to poor patients. It has two components: Hemodialysis (HD) services and Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) services. As of 30th June 2025, the programme is running in all 36 States and Union Territories (UTs) across 751 districts. A total of 1,704 dialysis centres are operational under this programme. The Government of India has advised setting up HD centres in all district hospitals and later expanding to Community Health Centres (CHCs) at taluka level.

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Recently, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari received the 43rd Lokmanya Tilak National Award in Pune. The award was instituted in 1983 by the Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust. It is given annually on 1st August, the death anniversary of Lokmanya Tilak. The award honours individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the progress and development of the nation. Lokmanya Tilak was born as Keshav Gangadhar Tilak and was a key figure in India’s freedom struggle. He was a nationalist, social reformer, and strong advocate of Swaraj or Self-Rule.

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A tiny animal called the silver-backed chevrotain, or two-tone mouse deer, was rediscovered in a Vietnamese forest after being lost for nearly 30 years. It was captured on camera using trap cameras by scientists from Global Wildlife Conservation (GWC). The chevrotain is a rabbit-sized hoofed mammal with a russet head, silver-grey body, and white rear end. Mouse Deer live in dense tropical forests across South and Southeast Asia like India, Vietnam, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. Mouse Deer are mainly herbivores, feeding on fruits, leaves, and soft plants.

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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.

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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.

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Delhi Legislative Assembly became India’s first legislature fully powered by solar energy on August 4, 2025. A 500-kilowatt rooftop solar power plant was commissioned on the Assembly building. The solar plant is expected to cut electricity bills by Rs 15 lakh monthly, saving about Rs 1.75 crore annually. Surplus electricity will be generated through net metering and used efficiently. The Assembly also launched the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) to shift towards paperless functioning.

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The critically endangered Asian Giant Tortoise has been reintroduced into Zeliang Community Reserve in Peren district, Nagaland. The initiative was led by the Nagaland Forest Department and the India Turtle Conservation Programme (ITCP). These tortoises were born in 2019 under a conservation project that began in 2018 with rescued pet tortoises. The species, once common in Nagaland, had nearly vanished over a decade ago. Also known as “small elephants of the forest,” they aid in seed dispersal, forest regeneration, and cleaning the forest floor. A habitat suitability study identified Zeliang Reserve as ideal for reintroduction.