Current Affairs Quiz – September 2025

Notes:
World Bamboo Day is celebrated every year on September 18 to raise awareness about bamboo’s importance in the environment, economy, and culture. Bamboo is often called “green gold” because it is fast-growing, strong, flexible, and eco-friendly. The day was first celebrated in 2009 during the 8th World Bamboo Congress in Bangkok. It was initiated by the World Bamboo Organization to highlight bamboo’s cultural, economic, and ecological significance.

Notes:
The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), with a corpus over ₹25 lakh crore, announced Shri Vivekanand Gupta, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner, selected for the Public Financial Asset Management (PFAM) Program 2025–26. PFAM is a prestigious initiative jointly organised by the World Bank and Milken Institute. Shri Gupta is the first-ever participant from EPFO and the sole representative from India. Selection was made by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Academy of Social Security (PDUNASS) through an internal nomination process. PFAM, hosted at Bayes Business School, City, University of London, trains senior professionals in capital markets, governance, and strategic asset management.

Notes:
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) launched SWAGAT-FI on September 16, 2025. SWAGAT-FI stands for Simplified Wrapper Framework for Facilitating Access to GIFT-IFSC for Foreign Investors. The framework targets low-risk foreign investors like sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, and long-term institutional investors. Eligible investors can now register for 10 years, up from the earlier 3-year cycle, reducing administrative hurdles. A digital portal allows onboarding in about a week, using a single demat account to manage all investments. It integrates with Gujarat International Finance Tec-City International Financial Services Centre (GIFT-IFSC) for easier global access.

Notes:
The DSC A22, the third vessel in the five-ship Diving Support Craft (DSC) project, was launched in Kolkata. The vessel is constructed by Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd under a Ministry of Defence (MoD) contract signed in 2021. Diving Support Crafts (DSCs) are designed for submarine rescue, salvage operations, underwater inspection, hull cleaning, and diver training. Construction follows the rules of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) and includes hydrodynamic testing at Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL), Visakhapatnam. The launch highlights Kolkata’s growing role in India’s indigenous naval shipbuilding programme. This event is part of India’s push for self-reliant defence manufacturing under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

Notes:
Recently, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying signed a Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) agreement with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to strengthen Blue Port infrastructure in India. The Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) was created to make FAO’s technical expertise available to member countries on request. Its purpose is to improve food security and reduce poverty with lasting impact. Its goal is to solve technical problems in crop production, livestock, fisheries, aquaculture, forestry, nutrition, food safety, and rural development under the Country Programming Framework (CPF). Two pilot fishing ports, Vanakbara (Diu) and Jakhau (Gujarat), will receive strategic and operational tools to design and implement investment projects.

Notes:
Critically endangered yellow-crested cockatoos have found refuge in Hong Kong’s urban parks, making up nearly 10% of the global wild population of just 2,000 mature birds. The species is native to Indonesia and East Timor. These snow-white birds with yellow crests now face nesting problems as old trees are lost to typhoons and government trimming. Global threats like illegal pet trade and climate change also worsen their survival. Conservationists in Hong Kong have begun installing artificial nest boxes, with one pair already using them. The project aims to expand to 50 boxes, helping the species survive in the city.

Notes:
The 10th All India Conference of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) was inaugurated in New Delhi. Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) was established to provide efficient and accessible justice for government employees and reduce backlog in high courts. Tribunals have worked for four decades to improve efficiency and access to justice for officials. The conference highlighted the need for consistency in rulings and transparency in functioning to ensure well-reasoned decisions. The conference focuses on enhancing efficiency, improving disposal rates, and ensuring timely justice.

Notes:
West Bengal has mapped two wolf corridors near industrial town Durgapur, less than 200 km from Kolkata. This is the first such initiative in India under the Indian Grey Wolf Conservation Project in West Burdwan. Wildlife Information and Nature Guide Society (WINGS), Bengal Forest Department, and WWF-India jointly carried out the mapping. At least 30 wolves in four packs were identified using these corridors. Earlier in 2024, a study found 15–24 wolves near Durgapur, showing growing conservation importance.

Notes:
Researchers discovered a new flowering plant species Impatiens selvasinghii in Kudremukh range of the Western Ghats, Karnataka. It was found at 1,630 meters altitude during field exploration. The species is named after Prof. P Selva Singh Richard of Madras Christian College for his contribution to botany. It is one of the smallest flowered balsams in the Western Ghats, with unique lobed wing petals. Small insects depend on this plant for survival. India has over 280 taxa of Impatiens, with 210 endemic, 130 in the Western Ghats, and 80% of them endangered.

Notes:
Super Typhoon Ragasa, the strongest tropical cyclone of 2025, hit southern China. Ragasa, called the “King of Storms” by China’s meteorological agency, may bring waves up to seven metres and severe coastal flooding. Authorities issued urgent warnings, advising residents to stay indoors unless part of emergency response teams. Ragasa previously hit Taiwan, injuring six and cancelling 100+ flights, and the Philippines, causing one death and 10,000+ displacements. Experts warn climate change may intensify such storms in the future.