Current Affairs Quiz - February 2025

Notes:
IIM Sambalpur will research the impact of Subhadra Yojana in Odisha. An MoU was signed with the Women and Child Development (W&CD) Department at Utkarsh Odisha: Make in Odisha Conclave-2025. The institute will conduct real-time assessments, provide policy recommendations, and develop monitoring frameworks. The scheme provides ₹10,000 annually to eligible women for five years (₹50,000 total). It aims to foster women’s entrepreneurship and support child development. The scheme is expected to benefit over 1 crore women in Odisha.

Notes:
Araku Utsav titled “Chali” is organized in the Araku Valley of Andhra Pradesh. The valley is part of the Eastern Ghats and sits between 600 m and 900 m above sea level. It houses the biodiverse Anantagiri and Sunkarimetta Reserved Forests, known for bauxite mining. Often called the “Ooty of Andhra,” it is home to various tribes, mainly the Araku Tribes. Araku Arabica Coffee, famous in the valley, earned a GI Tag in 2019. The valley is surrounded by mountains such as Galikonda, Raktakonda, Sunkarimetta, and Chitamogondi.

Notes:
Japan successfully launched the Michibiki 6 satellite on the new H3 rocket, aiming to improve its navigation system. The launch occurred at the Tanegashima Space Center, and the satellite separated successfully 29 minutes after liftoff. Michibiki 6 will be the fifth satellite in Japan’s quasi-zenith satellite system (QZSS). The system supplements US GPS and improves positioning for various devices. Japan plans to expand to seven satellites by 2026 and an 11-satellite network by the late 2030s. The launch was the fourth successful flight for the H3 rocket system.

Notes:
The Finance Minister announced a ₹20,000 crore ‘Nuclear Energy Mission’ to develop indigenous Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). SMRs are small nuclear reactors with a maximum output of 300 MWe, producing 7.2 million kWh per day. In comparison, large nuclear plants generate over 1,000 MWe and 24 million kWh per day. SMRs are small, modular, and reactor-based, generating low-carbon electricity. They have small footprints, lower capital costs, and can be factory-built. SMRs can be deployed in locations unsuitable for large nuclear plants. They support incremental power additions, energy hubs, industrial heating, district heating, and hydrogen production.

Notes:
The Samudrayaan project under the Deep Ocean Mission received Rs 600 crore in the Union Budget 2025-26. It is managed by the Ministry of Earth Sciences. The aim is to develop a self-propelled manned submersible capable of carrying 3 people to a depth of 6,000 meters for deep ocean exploration. It will have an operational endurance of 12 hours and 96 hours in emergencies. The project focuses on biodiversity assessment and exploring mineral resources like manganese, cobalt, and copper, contributing to the Blue Economy.

Notes:
Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH) Fund 2.0 aims to revive stalled real estate projects by providing financial support. The Union Budget 2025-26 has allocated ₹15,000 crore to complete one lakh housing units. Real estate developers and National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO) had long requested the fund’s second tranche. SWAMIH Fund I, launched earlier, was created to complete stressed and stalled housing projects. It is sponsored by the Ministry of Finance. It is a Category-II AIF (Alternate Investment Fund) debt fund registered with SEBI.

Notes:
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) restrained the Andhra Pradesh Government from proceeding with six infrastructure projects in Kolleru wetland. Kolleru Lake is a large, shallow freshwater lake in northeastern Andhra Pradesh. It lies between the Krishna and Godavari deltas near Eluru. It is Asia’s largest shallow freshwater lake, covering 308 sq. km. It acts as a flood-balancing reservoir and drains into the Bay of Bengal via the Upputeru River. It was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1999 and a Ramsar Site in 2002. It is an Important Bird Area (IBA) on the Central Asian Flyway, hosting species like Siberian cranes, pelicans, and painted storks.

Notes:
Indrayani River in Pune is covered with toxic white foam amid rising Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) cases linked to water contamination. It is located in Maharashtra. It originates from the Western Ghats near Lonavala and flows 103.5 km through Pune district before merging into the Bhima River, a tributary of the Krishna River. The river is rain-fed and supports irrigation and agriculture. It has religious significance, with Alandi (samadhi of Dnyaneshwar) and Dehu (hometown of Saint Tukaram) on its banks. Valvan Dam at Kamshet on the river is used for hydroelectric power generation.

Notes:
China has successfully demonstrated artificial photosynthesis in space, with their astronauts on the Tiangong space station producing oxygen and rocket fuel using this technology. The astronauts used a process mimicking natural photosynthesis to convert carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and rocket fuel components using solar energy. The experiment was conducted on China’s Tiangong space station. This breakthrough is considered a major step forward in space exploration, as it could enable future missions to generate necessary resources in space.

Notes:
OpenAI launched a new AI tool called Deep Research on February 2. It is the first major release after the DeepSeek controversy. Deep Research gathers information from the internet and creates reports like a research analyst. OpenAI showcased its capabilities in a YouTube demonstration video. The tool was also privately presented to US lawmakers and government officials in Washington, DC.