India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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Odisha is the state where a farmer officially registered the indigenous paddy variety called Keonjhar Kalachampa. Keonjhar Kalachampa is known for its strong resilience against major diseases, pests, and the impacts of climate change. The Government of India officially recognized this variety in 2015. The Odisha State Seeds Corporation (OSSC) along with private companies have been actively producing and distributing this variety. The variety has special features like non-lodging ability, high yield, and adaptability to both early and late sowing seasons. Recently, Odisha has also launched a gene bank initiative to conserve native paddy seeds for up to 50 years under controlled conditions.

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Madhya Pradesh has become the first state in India to launch an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based real-time forest alert system for active forest management. This pilot system uses satellite images, mobile feedback, and machine learning to detect forest land encroachment, land use change, and degradation. It is currently being tested in five forest divisions – Shivpuri, Guna, Vidisha, Burhanpur, and Khandwa – known for encroachment and tree felling. Alerts include detailed features like GPS-tagged images, voice notes, and comments, enriched with vegetation and radar indexes such as NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), SAVI (Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index), EVI (Enhanced Vegetation Index), and SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar).

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Recently, all political parties in Punjab united and firmly opposed releasing any extra water to Haryana from the Bhakra Dam, showing strong regional consensus. The Bhakra Dam is a concrete gravity dam built across the Sutlej River, located near the Punjab-Himachal Pradesh border. It stands near Bhakra village in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh. It is the world’s highest straight gravity dam with a height of 207.26 meters. It is Asia’s second tallest dam after the 261-meter-high Tehri Dam in Uttarakhand. The dam is 518.25 meters long and about 9.1 meters wide at its crest.

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Indore has become India’s first beggar-free city as of May 2025, marking a major success in social welfare. The campaign was launched in February 2024 under the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment as a pilot project in 10 cities. Around 5,000 beggars, including 500 children, were identified on city streets before the campaign began. Beggars were rehabilitated by offering jobs, and children were enrolled in schools for education. Awareness campaigns were run in the first phase, followed by rehabilitation efforts. Giving money to beggars or buying from them is now banned, with three First Information Reports (FIRs) filed. Citizens are rewarded ₹1,000 for reporting instances of begging, which has boosted public participation. The initiative has been recognised by the Union Ministry and a World Bank team as a national model.

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The Maharashtra Cabinet recently launched the Adishakti Abhiyan to empower grassroots women and children on Ahilyabai Holkar’s 300th birth anniversary. The campaign aims to improve awareness and implementation of government schemes addressing malnutrition, infant and maternal mortality, domestic violence, sexual harassment, and child marriage. It will also promote women’s participation in the Panchayati Raj system. Committees will be formed at various levels to ensure smooth implementation, with active involvement from Panchayat Samitis. The scheme introduces the Adishakti Awards to recognize outstanding contributions. A ₹10.50 crore budget has been approved for the campaign’s execution.

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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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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 Uttar Pradesh Forest and Wildlife Department has launched the ‘Buffer Mein Safar Yojana’ to boost sustainable tourism and protect wildlife. The scheme focuses on turning buffer zones of tiger reserves into eco-friendly tourist spots while helping local communities. It will be implemented in regions like Dudhwa, Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sohagibarwa, and Kartaniya Ghat, all known for rich biodiversity. Semrai Lake, a key site for migratory birds, is being developed as a birdwatching destination under the eco circuit. Local villagers are being trained as guides, cooks, and safari staff to create sustainable jobs and support conservation.

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Union Jal Shakti Minister recently launched Swachh Survekshan Grameen (SSG) 2025, India’s largest rural sanitation survey. It will cover 21,000 villages across 761 districts in 34 States and Union Territories (UTs). The survey is part of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) Phase-II to assess sustainability of Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus outcomes. It is conducted by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. An independent agency will ensure transparent field verification. The aim is to track sanitation progress, boost public involvement, and reward high-performing areas.

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The Department of Land Resources (DoLR), Ministry of Rural Development, will conduct the second phase of capacity-building under the NAKSHA programme starting 2nd June 2025. The NAtional geospatial Knowledge-based land Survey of urban Habitations (NAKSHA) programme is a city survey initiative under the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP). It is led by the Department of Land Resources (DoLR) under the Ministry of Rural Development. The programme prepares detailed maps of towns and cities to improve land records.