India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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Telangana government has launched a Composite Backwardness Index (CBI) using data from a caste survey covering over 3.5 crore people. Composite Backwardness Index (CBI) is developed by an expert panel using 42 indicators across nine categories to measure caste-wise backwardness scientifically. This approach moves away from older methods like the Mandal Commission, which used population size and just 11 indicators for identifying backwardness. It marks a global first in using detailed data to assess social and economic backwardness more accurately.

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Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Chenab and Anji rail bridges in Jammu and Kashmir, marking a major milestone in regional connectivity. The Chenab Rail Bridge is the world’s highest railway arch bridge. It is a steel-and-concrete engineering marvel spanning 1,315 meters across the Chenab River gorge. It is designed to withstand earthquakes and strong winds, and it will reduce travel time between Katra and Srinagar to just about 3 hours. The Anji Rail Bridge is India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge, located in Reasi district.

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Recently, Bihar inaugurated the Bikram Lock Canal Bank solar power project in Patna under the Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali campaign to promote green energy. This project helps reduce pollution caused by traditional energy sources and supports sustainable development. It is set up along a 2-kilometer stretch of the main canal at Bikram in Patna district. The solar plant has an installed capacity of 2 megawatts and covers 5.7 acres of land provided by the Water Resources Department.

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A silent “Save Powai Lake” human chain planned by locals and nature lovers was recently cancelled after Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) asked for an event fee of Rs 11,000. Powai Lake is an artificial lake in northern Mumbai, Maharashtra. It was created by constructing two dams across hillocks at the southern edge of the Western Ghats. It is part of the Powai Bird Sanctuary and is home to many rare birds like Woolly-necked Stork and Peregrine Falcon.

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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 Uttar Pradesh (UP) government has digitised the National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) to ensure quick, transparent, and efficient financial aid to poor families. The scheme offers ₹30,000 to the dependent of a deceased earning head, if the family’s annual income is below ₹56,460 in urban areas and ₹46,080 in rural areas. Funds are transferred through the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) to Aadhaar-linked accounts.

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Recently, Rajkot transformed Nakrawadi, a 20-acre old dumpsite with 16 lakh tonnes of legacy waste, into a green urban forest. This was done under the “Lakshya Zero Dumpsite” initiative of the Swachh Bharat Mission led by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). The initiative aims to clear old waste sites and create “Garbage Free Cities”. The Rajkot model planted 2.35 lakh native and fast-growing trees using the Miyawaki technique.

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Recently, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) launched the City Accelerator Program during the National Conference on Skill Development for Renewable Energy Workforce held at Atal Akshay Urja Bhawan, New Delhi. The program is implemented in collaboration with Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation (SSEF). It is a major part of the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSGMBY), which is the world’s largest domestic rooftop solar (RTS) scheme. The program aims to speed up the adoption of rooftop solar systems in Indian cities.

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Recently, Gujarat became the first state to implement the Amended BharatNet Program (ABP) under a state-led model. The program ensures seamless digital connectivity across all 14,654 Gram Panchayats and non-Gram Panchayat villages in Gujarat on demand. It aims to deliver over 98% service uptime through modern infrastructure, offering high-speed internet and reliable digital services. The Union Cabinet approved Amended BharatNet Program (ABP) on 4th August 2023, funded through the Digital Bharat Nidhi.

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Recently, the Registrar General of India (RGI) asked all States to ensure that mothers receive birth certificates of newborns before being discharged from hospitals, especially government-run hospitals. The Registrar General of India was set up under the Ministry of Home Affairs and is also the Census Commissioner of India. The Registrar General of India mainly collects data on population size, growth, and distribution.