Current Affairs Quiz - March 2025

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Tamil Nadu topped the Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission (SPMRM) rankings with 96.32 points, followed by Mizoram (93.96), Uttar Pradesh (92.37), and Telangana (91.87). The mission aims to develop 300 rural clusters with urban-like facilities across 34 States and UTs to bridge the rural-urban divide. Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission (SPMRM) was launched in 2016.

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A study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests Fijian iguana ancestors traveled 8,000 km across the Pacific on floating vegetation from the Americas. Iguanas are large, stout lizards mainly found in tropical regions of the Americas. They have scaly skin with warts, spines along their back, and a dewlap under their necks. They exhibit color variations like green, blue, and grey. Iguanas are herbivores and adapt to diverse habitats, from deserts to rainforests. They are native to Central and South America but have established populations in Florida, Hawaii, and the Caribbean. They are the largest lizards in the USA.

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Concerns were raised in Lok Sabha about gaps in implementing drinking water schemes under Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA). JSA was launched in 2019 by the Ministry of Jal Shakti to ensure water conservation, rainwater harvesting, and groundwater recharge. It follows the core strategy: “Catch the Rain – Where it Falls, When it Falls.” Focus areas include water conservation, renovation of water bodies, borewell recharge, watershed development, and afforestation. Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), launched in 2019, aims to provide Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) to every rural household by 2024 under Har Ghar Jal. The National Rural Drinking Water Program (NRDWP) was integrated into Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).

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The 57th Senior National Kho-Kho Championship will be held in Puri, Odisha, from March 31 to April 4, 2025. The event will take place at the District Sports Complex, Puri. A total of 74 teams, including 30 state teams and institutional squads like Airport Authority, Railways, BSF, Maharashtra Police, and CISF, will compete. The championship is organized under the Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI). The event marks a significant step in the rapid growth of Kho-Kho in India.

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Central and State governments are using the Sahyog portal to block online content. Sahyog is a centralized platform developed by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). It aims to prevent, detect, investigate, and prosecute cybercrime in India. The portal automates the process of sending notices to intermediaries under the IT Act, 2000. It enables the removal or disabling of unlawful online content. It connects all Authorized Agencies and intermediaries on a single platform for better coordination.

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India exported Anthurium flowers from Mizoram to Singapore for the first time, boosting the floriculture sector. Anthurium is a tropical flowering plant known for its ornamental value and air-purifying properties. It removes toxins like formaldehyde, ammonia, toluene, xylene, and allergens from the air. NASA included Anthurium in its list of air-purifying plants for improving indoor air quality. Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, promotes agricultural exports and facilitates global market linkages.

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Stealth frigate ‘Tavasya’ was launched at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) on March 22, 2025. It is the last of four Krivak-class stealth frigates and the second built at GSL under a technology transfer agreement with Russia. India and Russia signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) in 2016 for four Krivak-class frigates. Two ships were imported from Russia, while two were built at GSL. Tavasya is likely the last warship built under foreign license as India moves towards indigenous warship production.

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Telangana Assembly adopted a resolution to implement the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994 (Central Act No. 42 of 1994). The Act regulates organ transplantation and prevents commercial dealings in human organs and tissues. Telangana had its own Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1995 (Act No. 24 of 1995) but opted for the Central Act due to its 2011 amendments. The 2011 amendments included tissue transplantation, establishment of state and national-level bodies, and stricter penalties for violations. The adoption allows Telangana to enforce the 2011 amendments effectively.

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Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP) in Darjeeling, West Bengal, is India’s first zoo to preserve DNA samples of wildlife from snowy regions. The DNA preservation is part of the Cryogenic Preservation Initiative in collaboration with the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad. The initiative aims to protect genetic material for research and conservation in case of species extinction. Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP) is India’s highest-altitude zoological park. It is known for its conservation programs for the Snow Leopard and Red Panda.

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The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) discovered over 110 megaliths near Malampuzha dam in Palakkad, Kerala, covering 45 hectares. Malampuzha dam is the largest water barrier and reservoir in Kerala. Megalithic structures were used for burials during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages, built with large stones without mortar. The burials include Cists, Stone Circles, Urns, Dolmens, and Dolmenoid Cists, made from granite and laterite stones. Similar megalithic sites exist in Brahmagiri, Karnataka, and Adichanallur, Tamil Nadu. This discovery may provide new insights into Kerala’s early Iron Age society and beliefs.