Current Affairs Quiz - May 2025

Notes:
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) launched ‘Sagar Mein Samman’ (SMS) to promote women’s participation in the maritime sector. It was unveiled by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal during the first International Day for Women in Maritime celebrations in Mumbai. The policy aims to create a gender-equitable maritime workforce through training, safety, leadership, and skill development. It aligns with the government’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) goals and Maritime India Vision 2030. The government targets 12% female representation in technical maritime roles by 2030. The event theme, “Women in Maritime: Leading Transformation and Sustainability,” supports UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The initiative aims to make women a strong pillar of ‘Nari Shakti’ in India’s maritime future.

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Recent camera trap images from Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve (USTR) in Chhattisgarh show a positive rise in wildlife activity with carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores using the forest widely. USTR is located in the Gariaband and Dhamtari districts of Chhattisgarh. It was formed by merging Sitanadi and Udanti Wildlife Sanctuaries. The main river in the reserve is the Mahanadi, along with Udanti, Sitanadi, Indravan, and Pairi Rivers as tributaries. The reserve connects with forests of Kanker and North Kondagaon, forming a corridor to Indravati Tiger Reserve in Bastar.

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Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution launched three digital platforms—Depot Darpan Portal, Anna Mitra App, and Anna Sahayata Platform—to improve India’s Public Distribution System (PDS). These platforms aim to ensure transparency, accountability, and citizen participation, benefiting over 81 crore people under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). Depot Darpan Portal allows depot officials to assess their performance using Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, CCTV, and real-time analytics, and may save ₹275 crore in Food Corporation of India (FCI) depots. Anna Mitra App helps Fair Price Shop (FPS) dealers and officers track stock, alerts, and reports in real time. Anna Sahayata Platform enables easy grievance filing via WhatsApp, Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS), and speech tools for PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) users. These steps support the Digital India mission and aim to build a developed India or “Viksit Bharat” through technology-driven welfare delivery.

Notes:
After 12 years, the Pushkar Kumbh Mela began in Uttarakhand on May 15, 2025, inaugurated by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami at Keshav Prayag in Mana village. The Mela is held at the sacred confluence of the Alaknanda and Saraswati rivers, attracting many Vaishnavite devotees, especially from South India. It is celebrated when Jupiter enters Gemini, a rare astrological event believed to purify the soul and grant moksha (liberation). Mana village holds historical importance as the place where Maharishi Ved Vyas lived and where saints Ramanujacharya and Madhvacharya received divine wisdom. The Uttarakhand government has improved pedestrian pathways, added bilingual signs, and deployed police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams for pilgrim safety. Unlike larger Kumbh Melas, this one offers a peaceful and personal spiritual experience, strengthening north-south spiritual ties and continuing until May 26, 2025.

Notes:
Banu Mushtaq, an Indian writer, lawyer, and activist, became the first author writing in Kannada to win the International Booker prize 2025. She won for her short story collection Heart Lamp. Heart Lamp is the first short story collection to win the £50,000 prize. The International Booker Prize began in 2005 as the Man Booker International Prize. It is awarded annually for a single book translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland. Its goal is to encourage reading quality fiction from non-English languages. The prize promotes global fiction among English-speaking readers, covering novels and short story collections.

Notes:
The Perito Moreno Glacier is experiencing alarming changes. The glacier has been losing ice mass at about 0.85 meters per year since 2015. This rapid melting threatens local ecosystems and contributes to rising global sea levels.The Perito Moreno Glacier is located in Argentina. Specifically, it’s situated in the Argentine province of Santa Cruz, within the Los Glaciares National Park. It recently lost a massive block of ice, sparking concerns about its long-term stability. Known as the ‘White Giant’, it spans 250 square kilometres and formed around 18,000 years ago. It is a major freshwater source and has been part of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site since 1981.

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India recently welcomed the United Kingdom’s decision to return the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, including the Diego Garcia atoll, to Mauritius under a historic agreement. The Chagos Islands are located in the central Indian Ocean, about 1,600 km south of India’s southern tip. These islands have been a British Overseas Territory since November 8, 1965. Key islands in the group include Diego Garcia, Danger Island, Egmont Islands, Eagle Islands, Nelsons Island, Peros Banhos, Three Brothers, and the Solomon Islands. Diego Garcia, the largest island covering 30 square kilometers, hosts a major United States military base. The islands are flat and low-lying, with most areas not rising more than 2 meters above sea level and having no rivers or lakes. They experience a tropical marine climate with high heat and humidity, moderated by trade winds.

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Recently, Algeria became the 9th member of the New Development Bank (NDB), expanding opportunities for emerging markets. NDB was established in 2015 by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa under the BRICS group. Its headquarters is in Shanghai, China. It is a multilateral development bank created to fund infrastructure and sustainable development projects in emerging markets and developing countries (EMDCs). So far, it has approved investment projects worth 40 billion US dollars, mainly in clean energy and related sectors. Members include Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, and now Algeria.

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Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav launched a nationwide campaign called ‘One Nation, One Mission: End Plastic Pollution’ ahead of World Environment Day. The campaign aims to raise awareness, change behaviour, and promote eco-friendly alternatives to plastic across India. It is part of Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), a larger movement started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to encourage sustainable living. The campaign focuses on reducing plastic use, managing plastic waste efficiently, and supporting the development of sustainable materials. It will involve ministries, state governments, schools, industries, civil groups, and local communities in united action against plastic pollution.

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The Uttarakhand Forest Department has set up the state’s first Cycad Garden at Haldwani. The garden covers about 0.75 hectare and showcases 31 cycad species, 17 of which are threatened. It includes 9 species native to India, like Cycas andamanica, Cycas beddomei, and Cycas circinalis. The project is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Cycads are ancient plants from the Mesozoic era and are called “living fossils.” They grow slowly, reproduce less, and are vulnerable to habitat loss. They are ecologically important and fix nitrogen through symbiosis with cyanobacteria in their roots. This garden aims to support research, conservation, and public awareness.