Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2025

Notes:
Kerala won their first Senior National Men’s Handball Championship title with a 34-31 victory over Chandigarh. Kerala reached the final after a close semi-final win against Services, 23-21. Chandigarh advanced to the final by defeating Indian Railways 32-30. Kerala’s Devendar was named ‘Best Player of the Championship,’ Rahul won ‘Best Goalkeeper,’ and Sujith was honored as ‘Best Left Wing Player.’ Services and Indian Railways shared third place in the tournament.

Notes:
Researchers have identified Stellaria bengalensis, an annual herb, in Kalimpong, West Bengal. It grows at altitudes of 2,245-2,450 meters in muddy soil slopes, similar to Stellaria mcclintockiae found in Kerala earlier this year. Stellaria bengalensis is an annual herb, 8-10.5 cm tall, with white flowers, no bracts, and sharp, pointed seeds. India has about 22 Stellaria species, mostly in the Himalayas, and the new species is currently assessed as ‘data deficient’ by IUCN.

Notes:
Zimbabwe abolished the death penalty, sparing around 60 prisoners on death row. The country last executed someone in 2005 due to a lack of willing executioners. President Emmerson Mnangagwa, once sentenced to death during the independence war, approved the law after Parliament’s bill. Mnangagwa has consistently opposed capital punishment and commuted death sentences to life in prison through amnesties. Amnesty International praised Zimbabwe’s move as a positive step for abolition in the region. Globally, 113 countries, including 24 in Africa, have abolished the death penalty. In 2023, Amnesty recorded 1,153 executions, with most in Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Notes:
The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions issued guidelines for the 28th National Awards for e-Governance (NAeG) 2025. The NAeG is one of the most prestigious awards for digital governance in India. The National Awards for e-Governance (NAeG) scheme aims to promote excellence in e-Governance initiatives. The awards include a Trophy, Certificate, and cash incentives—Rs 10 lakh for Gold Awardees and Rs 5 lakh for Silver Awardees. 16 awards will be given this year, with 10 Gold and 6 Silver. The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions is the nodal ministry.

Notes:
Canada announced that the Post-Graduate Work Permits (PGWPs) of 7.66 lakh international students will expire by the end of next year. The Rural Community Immigration Class (RCIC) scheme offers a pathway for foreign nationals and students. It is launched by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in December 2024. The program aims to address labor shortages and encourage development in smaller rural communities. The scheme targets individuals willing to settle long-term in these areas to promote growth and address local workforce needs.

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 Union Minister of Steel and Heavy Industries launched the second round of the PLI Scheme for Specialty Steel, called PLI Scheme 1.1. It will run from FY 2025-26 to FY 2029-30. It covers five product categories: coated/plated steel, high-strength steel, specialty rails, alloy steel products, and electrical steel. These products serve sectors like white goods, transformers, automobiles, and niche industries. Changes include reduced investment thresholds, allowance for carrying forward excess production, and participation through capacity augmentation without new mills. The scheme aims to boost domestic specialty steel production, reduce imports, and attract investments, originally expanded to steel in November 2020.

Notes:
India’s GDP is projected to grow by 6.4% in FY 2024-25, a decline from 8.2% in FY 2023-24. This marks the lowest growth rate in four years, indicating a slowdown in economic performance. The Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI) provides these estimates, which also highlight a marginal increase in nominal GDP to 9.7%. The decline in growth reflects challenges in various sectors, including agriculture, construction, and services, impacting overall economic health.

Notes:
The eighth Ammunition Cum Torpedo Cum Missile (ACTCM) Barge, LSAM 22, was inducted on 06 Jan 2025 at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. The contract for 11 ACTCM Barges was signed with M/s Suryadipta Projects Pvt. Ltd., a Thane-based MSME, on 05 Mar 2021. Seven ACTCM Barges have already been delivered, and the shipyard is also building four Sullage Barges for the Navy. The barges are indigenously designed and tested for seaworthiness at Naval Science and Technological Laboratory, Visakhapatnam. Built under Indian Register of Shipping rules, these barges promote Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.

Notes:
India and the U.S. agreed to co-produce sonobuoys for the Indian Navy’s Undersea Domain Awareness (UDA). Sonobuoys are electro-mechanical acoustic sensors used to detect submarines and ships underwater. They are dropped by naval helicopters or aircraft, deploy automatically upon hitting water, and use inflatable systems for surface communication. Sensors descend to a specific depth to relay underwater acoustic data. Sonobuoys can be used in active or passive modes for tracking. Deploying multiple sonobuoys in a pattern allows precise location tracking of submarines, enhancing naval capabilities.