India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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Recently, the Karnataka government launched Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Limited (B-SMILE) initiative with an initial funding of ₹7,000 crore to accelerate major infrastructure projects in Bengaluru. B-SMILE is a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), a government-owned company created to plan, fund, and implement large-scale urban projects. It is part of the upcoming Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024, aimed at unified and efficient urban development. Unlike existing civic bodies like BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike), BDA (Bangalore Development Authority), and BWSSB (Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board), B-SMILE will work centrally across zones. It will be governed by an 11-member Board and led by a full-time Chief Executive Officer (CEO), an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer. This move addresses issues like traffic congestion, overlapping authorities, and slow project execution by enabling professional, long-term planning.

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Recently, the ‘Yashoda AI: Your AI SAKHI’ event was held at Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University, Bareilly to promote women’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy and digital awareness. It is an initiative of the National Commission for Women (NCW) in collaboration with Future Shift Labs (FSL). The mission is to empower women, especially from rural and semi-urban areas, with skills in AI, cybersecurity, and digital safety. The Yashoda AI Abhiyan aims to support a Viksit Bharat by making women active contributors in a tech-driven future. The program includes discussions on AI-driven crimes, digital privacy, and safety strategies. It involves students, educators, and women from the police force to promote community-based digital education and leadership.

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Recently, flamingos have arrived in large numbers at the Chhaya pond in Porbandar town of Gujarat, creating a stunning natural spectacle. Flamingos are tall birds known for their pink feathers, long legs, and curved necks, though they hatch with grey feathers. They are social birds and live in large colonies, often gathering in thousands. Their habitats include salty water bodies like lagoons, estuaries, lakes, and mudflats. Greater Flamingos migrate to India from Israel, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, and are the State Bird of Gujarat. Lesser Flamingos migrate from Siberia to Mumbai through the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat.

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Recently, Goa became India’s second fully literate state under the ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram (New India Literacy Programme) after Mizoram. Goa used a Whole-of-Government approach, involving departments like Panchayats, Municipal Administration, Social Welfare, Planning & Statistics, and Women & Child Development. The ULLAS scheme is a centrally sponsored programme from 2022 to 2027, aiming to educate adults aged 15 and above through five components including literacy, life skills, and vocational training.

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Recently, the Karnataka government notified the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), Karnataka Amendment Act, 2024, to reduce tobacco use across the state. The amendment received presidential assent on May 23 and was published in the state gazette on May 30. The legal age to buy tobacco products has been raised from 18 to 21 years. Sale of tobacco within 100 metres of educational institutions and sale of loose cigarettes is now banned. The amendment strengthens public health protections, especially for youth, under Article 47 of the Constitution of India.

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The Central Government has launched the Aravalli Green Wall initiative to restore degraded land along the Aravalli mountain range from Gujarat to Delhi. The Aravalli Green Wall Project is a major initiative to develop a 5 km green buffer zone along the Aravalli Hills. It is part of the Union Environment Ministry’s plan to build green corridors and fight land degradation and desertification. The project spans over 6 million hectares across Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Delhi where the Aravalli landscape exists.

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Recently, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment launched the Waste Picker Enumeration App under the National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) scheme to empower waste pickers. This digital platform will identify and support waste pickers by giving them formal identity, health insurance, skill training, and livelihood access. NAMASTE scheme now aims to enumerate 2.5 lakh waste pickers and integrate them into India’s formal sanitation and circular economy systems.

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For the first time, a tribal girl from the Kalvarayan Hills has secured admission to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), marking a historic achievement. The Kalvarayan Hills are located in the Eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu and spread across 1,095 sq.km. These hills lie between the Kaveri River basin in the south and the Palar River basin in the north. They rise between 2,000 and 3,000 feet and stretch northeast from the Salem district. This success story highlights increasing access to higher education for tribal communities in remote regions.

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India’s first underwater museum and artificial coral reef will be created around the decommissioned warship Indian Naval Ship (INS) Guldar near Nivati Rocks in Sindhudurg district, Maharashtra. The project was virtually inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra with strong support from the central government. It aims to promote marine conservation and tourism, offering activities like scuba diving and submarine tours in the future. INS Guldar, a 1,120-ton ship decommissioned in January 2024, has been handed over to Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation.

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The Department of Posts has launched Gyan Post, a special postal service for delivering educational, cultural, social, and religious books. It supports the goals of the New Education Policy (NEP) by making printed learning material affordable and accessible, especially in rural and remote areas. A tracking facility is available to ensure transparency and timely delivery. This initiative helps bridge the educational gap and promote inclusive learning across India.