India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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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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Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme was launched on June 29, 2020. It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries. The scheme helps micro food processing enterprises upgrade technology and get formal recognition. It supports farmer producer organizations, self-help groups, and cooperatives to improve food processing businesses. Financial, technical, and capacity-building support is given under the scheme. Bihar secured the first position in implementing the PMFME scheme in 2024–25, as announced recently by the Industries Minister. This shows Bihar’s success in boosting small food processing businesses.

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Recently, Delhi Police launched a community outreach initiative called ‘Nayi Disha – A Path Back to Learning’ to bring out-of-school children back into education. Police officers are visiting homes of school dropouts to understand why they left school and to motivate them to return. The initiative reflects Delhi Police’s focus on mentorship and building trust, beyond traditional law enforcement. Officers are working with schools, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), and social workers to provide help such as admissions, counselling, and academic support. Many students have already returned to school, and the initiative will now expand to other districts based on its success.

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Recently, the Andhra Pradesh government announced property tax exemption for houses of Indian Defence Forces personnel within Gram Panchayat limits. This benefit now includes all active personnel from the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, Paramilitary, and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), not just retirees or those posted at borders. The exemption applies to one house that the personnel or their spouse own or reside in. This move was recommended by the Director of Sainik Welfare. It honours the sacrifices of soldiers like Agniveer Murali Naik, who died during Operation Sindoor at the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

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The Telangana government recently sanctioned 10,000 Indiramma houses for Chenchu tribal families to improve their living conditions. The Chenchus are a food-gathering tribe mainly living in the Nallamalai forests of Andhra Pradesh. They are classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) by the government due to their isolated lifestyle and low development indicators. Chenchus are also found in Telangana, Karnataka, and Odisha. Their language, also called Chenchu, belongs to the Dravidian language family, and many speak Telugu as well. A Chenchu village is called a “Penta”, with huts spaced based on family closeness. They live in small families, with men and women having equal social roles.

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The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) hosted the fourth edition of its Manasvi: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Mentorship Program for High School Girls from May 13 to 17, 2025. The five-day event welcomed 100 girls from Classes 9 to 12, mainly from government schools in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR), to promote STEM learning. Organized by the Office of Academic Outreach and New Initiatives at IIT Delhi, Manasvi aims to boost confidence and interest among girls in STEM careers. The program included technical workshops, motivational talks, and hands-on sessions like solar lamp assembly at the MakerSpace Lab.

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Recently, the Vice-President of India unveiled statues of Charaka and Sushruta at Raj Bhavan in Goa, honouring their contribution to ancient Indian medicine. Charaka, a court physician during the Kushan period, is known as the Father of Medicine in India. He compiled the Charaka Samhita, a key text of Ayurveda, which focuses on diagnosis, prevention, physiology, and internal medicine. Charaka promoted medical ethics, dietary rules, and preventive care, and his work was translated into Arabic and Latin, influencing global medicine. Sushruta, from the 7th century BCE, is known as the Father of Surgery and possibly the first documented surgeon. He authored the Sushruta Samhita, which describes 300 surgical procedures and 120 instruments. These two legends laid the foundation for Ayurveda and surgery, and their legacy continues to inspire medical science globally.

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Recently, Project Alankar by the Government of Uttar Pradesh was praised in a high-level meeting chaired by the Prime Minister in New Delhi. Project Alankar was launched on 1st October 2021 as an educational reform initiative to improve government secondary schools. The project targets 100% compliance with 35 infrastructure and facility benchmarks in 2,441 schools. It focuses on creating a modern, inclusive, and student-friendly learning environment across the state.

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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 Government of India launched the Ayush Nivesh Saarthi portal during the Ayush Stakeholder and Industry Interaction Meet at Vanijya Bhawan in New Delhi. It is a dedicated digital platform for investors developed by the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) in collaboration with Invest India. It aims to boost India’s traditional wellness systems as a strong economic sector. The portal combines policy details, incentive schemes, ready-to-invest projects, and real-time assistance in one interface.