India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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Recently, the Baitarani River crossed the danger mark, causing floods in several low-lying villages of Bhadrak district, Odisha. Baitarani is an important east-flowing river in eastern India, mainly through Odisha and partly through Jharkhand. It forms a fertile delta along with the Mahanadi and Brahmani rivers. The river originates from the Gonasika Hills in Keonjhar district, Odisha, at 900 metres above sea level. At its origin, it flows underground as Guptaganga, then re-emerges, making the spot sacred.

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The West Bengal government launched the Amader Para Amader Samadhan (Our Neighbourhood, Our Solution) programme on 2nd August 2025. It aims to deliver governance directly to people’s doorsteps. It is a flagship initiative to promote participatory governance and fast-track local problem-solving. The main goal is on-the-spot grievance resolution by connecting citizens with officials. The programme will run till 3rd November 2025.

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Government informed Lok Sabha that over 85% of Software Technology Parks of India (STPIs) are in Tier 2 and 3 cities. These STPIs have created 2.98 lakh jobs in non-metro cities. STPI was established in 1991 with headquarters in New Delhi under Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). It promotes Information Technology (IT) industry, innovation, research & development (R&D), start-ups, and product/intellectual property (IP) creation in emerging tech like Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Its vision aligns with National Policy on Software Products (NPSP), 2019.

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Recently, Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang launched ‘Nari Adalat’ during the first Amma Samman Diwas at Rongpo. ‘Nari Adalat’ is a community-based forum run by women to provide accessible and informal justice in rural and semi-urban areas. It empowers women to address disputes and social issues affecting them without relying solely on formal courts. It resolves minor disputes such as family disagreements, non-severe domestic violence, and marital issues.

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India generates 350–990 million tonnes of agricultural residues annually, creating challenges in proper management. Most agro-waste is burned or left to decompose, causing air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and soil organic carbon depletion. Inspired by the Amul Cooperative model, a decentralised rural cooperative system is proposed to convert agro-waste into compost, vermicompost, and biochar. The initiative is termed Brown Revolution 2.0, aimed at restoring soil health, securing food productivity, creating rural livelihoods, and supporting climate commitments. This approach builds on lessons from the first Brown Revolution for tribal leather and coffee promotion.

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The Arunachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (APSPCB) recently held a public hearing for environmental clearance of the Kalai-II Hydroelectric Project. The project is planned in Anjaw district, Arunachal Pradesh on the Lohit River, a tributary of the Brahmaputra River. It is a 1,200 MW run-of-river with pondage hydropower project being developed by THDC India Limited (formerly Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Limited).

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The Union Ministry of Textiles launched the Kapas Kisan App to streamline cotton procurement under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) scheme. The app enables farmers’ self-registration, slot booking, and payment tracking, enhancing transparency and speed in cotton procurement. It is designed to protect farmers from distress sales by ensuring assured MSP procurement. The app reduces manual paperwork and saves time at procurement centres. It features a user-friendly interface with support for multiple Indian languages. The initiative represents a farmer-first approach, improving the ease of selling cotton and strengthening India’s cotton market.

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The Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs launched the Unified Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA) portal on 5 September 2025 in New Delhi. The launch took place during the 5th meeting of the Central Advisory Council. The Unified RERA portal aims to strengthen transparency and accountability in the real estate sector. RERA empowers homebuyers, ensures timely project delivery, and enforces discipline among developers. States and Union Territories (UTs) were urged to implement RERA fully to safeguard citizens’ interests. The portal provides a centralized platform for project registration, grievance redressal, and real-time monitoring of real estate developments.

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The CoWIN (Covid Vaccine Intelligence Network) portal in India has been down since early August, preventing access to vaccination certificates. CoWIN is operated by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for registration, appointment scheduling, vaccination, and certification. The portal recorded over two billion COVID-19 vaccine doses across Union and State governments. The outage affects visa processing and other services requiring certificates, with third-party access via DigiLocker also not working.

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The Apatani women of Ziro Valley, Arunachal Pradesh, are the last generation to wear traditional facial tattoos and wooden nose plugs. This practice was banned in the 1970s but is still maintained by elderly women. The Apatani (Tanw, Apa Tani, or Apa) are an indigenous tribal group known for cultural identity, ecological knowledge, and traditional practices. They primarily live in Ziro Valley, Lower Subansiri district, Arunachal Pradesh, in the eastern Himalayan ranges. Facial tattoos and nose plugs were initially a protection strategy against raids and abductions by neighbouring tribes. Over time, they became symbols of identity, honour, dignity, and tribal beauty standards.