Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2025

Notes:
West Bengal won the Santosh Trophy national football championship by defeating Kerala in the final of the 78th edition. The final match was held on 31st December 2024 at GMC Balayogi Stadium, Hyderabad, Telangana. The Santosh Trophy is a premier state-level football tournament for men in India, organized by the All India Football Federation. The 78th edition’s final round was hosted by the Telangana Football Association from 14th to 31st December 2024 in Hyderabad.

Notes:
The One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) initiative democratizes access to global scholarly knowledge in India, aligning with NEP 2020 and ViksitBharat@2047 goals. A ₹6,000 crore budget is allocated for its first phase (2025–2027). The primary objective of the One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) is to provide equitable access to scholarly research journals and articles from top international publishers to all eligible students, faculty, and researchers across India. The initiative promotes interdisciplinary research, particularly benefiting Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. A unified portal will streamline digital processes for students, researchers, and faculty. The Department of Higher Education will lead awareness campaigns for maximum user adaptation.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet extended a one-time special package for Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) under the Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) scheme. DAP is the second most-used fertilizer in India after urea and is rich in nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Phosphorus in DAP promotes root development and accelerates plant growth. It dissolves quickly in soil, releasing essential nutrients for plants. The NBS scheme provides subsidies based on nutrient content to ensure affordable fertilizers for farmers. The scheme promotes balanced fertilization, soil health, and sustainable agriculture. The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers oversees the NBS scheme.

Notes:
Researchers at IIT Bombay have developed an affordable device to diagnose and manage tinnitus. Tinnitus is the perception of sound with no external source, often caused by age-related hearing loss, ear injury, or circulatory issues. Symptoms include sleep disturbances, depression, anxiety, and other phantom noises like buzzing or roaring. The new device offers a comprehensive approach with precise tinnitus matching, customizable treatment, and tracking tools to monitor disease progression. It aims to provide personalized care for patients based on their unique conditions.

Notes:
More than 100 people, including child rights activists from Nepal and India, launched the ‘Child Marriage Free Nepal’ campaign in Kathmandu. The campaign, supported by Indian organization Just Right for Children and Nepal’s Backward Society Education, aims to end child marriage by 2030. Nepal has the second-highest prevalence of child marriage in South Asia, with the legal marriage age set at 20. Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli pledged support for the campaign.

Notes:
Gujarat government and Bird Conservation Society of Gujarat (BCSG) conducted India’s first coastal and wader bird census from January 3 to 5, 2025, at the Marine National Park and Marine Sanctuary in Jamnagar. Jamnagar district in Gujarat hosts 300+ bird species, including 50+ wader bird species. The three-day event includes expert talks on Day 1, bird counting on Day 2, and a closing ceremony with knowledge sharing on Day 3. The census will focus on wader and coastal bird species in the Marine National Park and Marine Sanctuary.

Notes:
The Finance Ministry launched the revamped ‘Baanknet’ e-auction portal as a one-stop platform for buyers and investors. It consolidates e-auction information from all Public Sector Banks (PSBs) on properties like flats, houses, plots, shops, industrial land, vehicles, and machinery. The portal simplifies property discovery and participation in auctions, enhancing transparency and efficiency. It aids PSBs in recovering distressed assets, improving their balance sheets, and boosting credit availability. More than 1,22,500 properties are listed, and PSB executives received training for effective use.

Notes:
Telangana government engaged IIT-Hyderabad experts to study the Polavaram project’s impact on the Godavari River. The Polavaram Project is a multi-purpose irrigation project on the Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh. It aims to address water scarcity, boost agriculture, and generate power. The dam spans 1.2 km, with 48 radial gates and a spillway designed to withstand massive floods. The project aims to develop 4.36 lakh ha of irrigation, generate 960 MW of power, supply water to 28.5 lakh people, and divert 80 TMC water to the Krishna basin.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the Central Ayurveda Research Institute (CARI) building in Rohini, Delhi. The state-of-the-art facility spans 2.92 acres, costs ₹187 crore, and will be completed in 30 months. The institute will include a 100-bed research hospital with advanced clinical research, education, and treatment facilities. The project supports the “Heal in India” initiative and aims to make India a global health and wellness hub. CARI, established in 1979, focuses on Ayurvedic research, particularly in preventive cardiology.

Notes:
The Tamil Nadu Forest Department and an NGO are running a pilot project to remove Mucuna bracteata, an invasive plant, from rubber plantations and forest areas in Kanniyakumari. Originally introduced to protect rubber trees, it has spread across parts of the Western Ghats, including regions near the Kalakkad-Mundanthurai tiger reserve. Mucuna bracteata now covers large areas, overtaking native trees and hindering their growth. The vine is a threat to biodiversity and is found mainly in the rainforest of Kanniyakumari and abandoned rubber plantations.