Current Affairs Quiz – August 2025

Notes:
Recently, the Odisha government announced plans to introduce tigers in Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Bargarh district. Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary is located near the Hirakud Dam on the Mahanadi River in Odisha. Hirakud Dam is the longest dam in India and the longest earthen dam in the world. It was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1985.

Notes:
Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced that its Digital Payments Index (RBI-DPI) rose to 493.22 in March 2025. This is a sharp increase from 465.33 recorded in September 2024, showing rapid growth in digital transactions. The Digital Payments Index is a tool created by RBI to measure the extent of digitisation of payments across India. It was first launched in January 2021 to track and encourage the adoption of digital payment systems. It is the first-of-its-kind index to map the nationwide spread of digital transactions. The base year for the index is March 2018, with the score for that year set at 100.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
Shashi Prakash Goyal, a 1989-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, assumed charge as the new Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh (UP) on 1st August 2025. He replaced Manoj Kumar Singh, an IAS officer of the 1988 batch, who retired from service. Goyal earlier served as Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister (CM), handling Protocol, Civil Aviation, and Estate departments.

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:
Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) developed an agriculture waste-based packaging material. It offers a sustainable alternative to plastic foams like Expanded Polystyrene (EPS). Fungi such as Ganoderma lucidum (medicinal mushroom) and Pleurotus ostreatus (edible mushroom) were grown on waste. Five substrates were used: cardboard, sawdust, paper, cocopith, and hay. Ganoderma on cardboard showed higher compressive strength than EPS. India generates over 350 million tonnes of agricultural waste annually. This innovation can help reduce four million tonnes of plastic waste produced in India.

Notes:
Malta will host the 8th Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG) in late 2027. Around 1,150 athletes aged 14-18 from 74 nations and territories will take part. The event will include eight sports: athletics, para athletics, netball, squash, swimming, para swimming, triathlon, and weightlifting. Sailing and water polo will debut in Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG) 2027. Para swimming will feature for the first time, making it the largest Para sport program in Commonwealth Youth Games history. Malta is located in the Mediterranean Sea between Sicily and North Africa.

Notes:
Slovenia became the first European Union (EU) country to ban all weapons trade with Israel. The arms embargo was announced by Prime Minister Robert Golob after a cabinet meeting. The decision was taken due to the ongoing war in Gaza. Slovenia acted independently as the EU failed to agree on a joint position due to internal divisions. No military export permits to Israel have been issued by Slovenia since October 2023.

Notes:
Assam Rifles and Indian Air Force (IAF) jointly launched a relief mission called Operation Sahyog in Manipur. The mission targeted 18 remote villages in Henglep sub-division of Churachandpur district, Manipur. These villages were inaccessible since July 17 due to landslides along National Highway-2 (NH-2). More than 6 tons of rations including rice, pulses, and essentials were delivered. Supplies reached over 1,500 stranded villagers via designated drop zones. Assam Rifles ensured fair and fast ground distribution of aid. Operation shows strong commitment to humanitarian support in tough terrain.

Notes:
National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), under Ministry of AYUSH, signed 2 important Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in New Delhi. First MoU was between National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) and IshVed-Bioplants Venture, Pune, Maharashtra. It aims to conserve rare, endangered, and threatened (RET) medicinal plants through tissue culture methods. Second MoU was a tripartite agreement among NMPB, All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. It aims to set up a National Medicinal Plants Garden in AIIMS to promote public awareness and knowledge sharing. NMPB was established in 2000 and functions under the Ministry of AYUSH.