Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2025

Notes:
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) extended the deadline for the Vivad Se Vishwas scheme to January 31, 2025, from December 31, 2024. The scheme was announced in Union Budget 2023-24. The Vivad Se Vishwas scheme is modeled on the 2019 Sabka Vishwas Scheme for indirect taxes. It facilitates the settlement of disputed tax, interest, and penalties. The scheme also grants immunity from prosecution under the Income-tax Act for matters included in the declaration.

Notes:
Vitul Kumar, a 1993 batch IPS officer from Uttar Pradesh, is appointed Acting Director General of the CRPF after Anish Dayal Singh’s retirement. Born in Bhatinda, Punjab, Kumar holds a degree in Electronics Engineering, enhancing his analytical skills in law enforcement. He has held key positions in the CRPF, progressing from Deputy Inspector General in 2009 to Special Director General in 2023. Kumar’s awards include the President’s Police Medal (2021) and Police Medal (2009).

Notes:
The Alappuzha district administration will launch a plastic-cleaning drive for the Vembanad Lake rejuvenation project in January. The campaign aims to make Vembanad plastic-free and is part of ongoing conservation efforts for the lake, a Ramsar site and India’s second-largest wetland. Vembanad Lake, a Ramsar site and the second-largest wetland system in India, is the largest lake in Kerala and the longest in India. The lake is fed by four rivers: Meenachil, Achankovil, Pampa, and Manimala. Vembanad is separated from the Arabian Sea by a barrier island and hosts the annual Nehru Trophy Boat Race.

Notes:
The government is focusing on a citizen-centric approach for a developed Bharat with active public participation. CPGRAMS (Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System) plays a crucial role in addressing citizens’ concerns. From 2022 to 2024, CPGRAMS resolved over 70 lakh grievances. CPGRAMS is an online platform available 24×7 for citizens to lodge grievances related to service delivery. It functions under the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances.

Notes:
China launched its first domestically developed deep-sea exploration ship, Tansuo-3 (Exploration-3). The ship officially entered service in Sanya City, Hainan province. Tansuo-3 has a range of 17,261 miles and includes icebreaking capabilities. It will strengthen China’s deep-sea exploration, alongside other icebreakers like Xuelong, Xuelong 2, and Jidi.

Notes:
Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh chaired a meeting to review progress on defense reforms and projects. 2025 has been declared the ‘Year of Reforms’ for the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The goal is to transform the Armed Forces into a technologically advanced, combat-ready force. Key focus areas include improving Jointness & Integration, enhancing cyber and space capabilities, and integrating emerging technologies like AI, robotics, and hypersonics. Acquisition procedures will be simplified, and public-private partnerships will be promoted. The reforms aim to improve defense exports, optimize resources, and ensure veterans’ welfare.

Notes:
Researchers in Kochi developed a captive breeding protocol for the endangered black-collared yellow catfish. This species is endemic to the Chalakudy River in Kerala and has unique genetic traits and a greenish-brown mottled appearance. It coexists with the endangered Horabagrus Nigricollaris and is classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List. The breeding program started in 2020, and the first-generation stock was successfully bred. The protocol supports conservation efforts and ensures biodiversity preservation in the Western Ghats.

Notes:
The Indian Army hosted the three-day ‘Know Your Army Mela 2025’ at Golconda Fort, Hyderabad. The event was organized by HQ Telangana and Andhra Sub Area with support from the Artillery Centre, Hyderabad. The event showcased the technological advancements and indigenous capabilities of the armed forces to connect with the public and inspire youth to consider military careers.

Notes:
The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention takes place in Bhubaneswar from January 8 to 10, 2025. The theme is ‘Diaspora’s Contribution to a Viksit Bharat’, celebrating the diaspora’s role in India’s development. Prime Minister Modi inaugurates the event on January 9, and President Christine Carla Kangaloo of Trinidad & Tobago addresses virtually. More than 50 countries’ diaspora members participate, and Modi flags off the Pravasi Bharatiya Express tourist train.

Notes:
A study by IIT Roorkee identified the Alaknanda River in Uttarakhand as highly vulnerable to landslide-induced natural dams. The Alaknanda is one of the two main headstreams of the Ganges River, originating from the Satopanth and Bhagirath Kharak glaciers in the Garhwal Himalayas. It spans approximately 190 km before merging with the Bhagirathi River at Devprayag, where it is officially called the Ganga. Alaknanda contributes more water to the Ganga than the Bhagirathi. The river’s banks host key pilgrimage sites, including Badrinath, Hemkund Sahib, and Joshimath, and form part of the Char Dham Yatra.