India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) signed three Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with Nagaland Medical Council, Nagaland State Drugs Control Administration (NSDCA), and Nagaland State Pharmacy Council. Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. It sets and updates standards of drugs commonly used for treatment of diseases. It promotes rational use of generic medicines via the National Formulary of India (NFI). It prescribes standards for identity, purity, and strength of drugs for humans and animals. It provides IP Reference Substances (IPRS) for accurate drug testing and purity verification.

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The Andhra Pradesh government has officially renamed Raj Bhavan as Lok Bhavan. The change was approved by Governor S. Abdul Nazeer following communication from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India. A notification confirming the renaming was issued by G. Anantha Ramu, Special Chief Secretary to the Governor. With this change, the Governor’s official residence in Andhra Pradesh will now be known as Lok Bhavan.

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Gujarat has launched Smart Blue Harbours to strengthen fisheries, coastal economy, and national food security. The initiative is supported by a partnership between the Department of Fisheries (DoF), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (MoFAHD), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. Under a Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP), world-class Blue Harbours will be piloted at Jakhau (Gujarat), Vanakbara (Diu), and Karaikal (Puducherry). Under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), ₹452.32 crore is invested in smart fishing infrastructure.

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Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan, introduced the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) or VB–G RAM G Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha. The Bill provides a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment every year for rural households. It aims to ensure welfare of the poor and promote comprehensive village development in line with Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of self-reliant and developed villages. The central government has committed over ₹95,000 crore for this initiative. Panchayats will be graded, with additional work assigned to underdeveloped or underperforming panchayats to ensure balanced development.

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The Lok Sabha passed the Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Bill 2025. The Bill amends the Insurance Act 1938, the Life Insurance Corporation Act 1956, and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act 1999. It aims to accelerate growth and development of the insurance sector and ensure better protection for policyholders. The Bill proposes to improve ease of doing business for insurance companies, enhance transparency in regulation-making, and strengthen regulatory oversight. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that more than INR 17,000 crore has been infused into public sector insurance companies to enhance efficiency.

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Goa will create its third district named Kushavati, after the ancient Kushavati River flowing through southern Goa. The river reflects Goa’s ancient geography, culture, livelihood, and ecological identity from historic times like the Chalukya dynasty. The district includes Sanguem, Dharbandora, Quepem, and Canacona talukas, with headquarters at Quepem. Usgalimal petroglyphs on laterite stones along the river show early human settlement thousands of years old. The district will have a new Zilla Panchayat (District Council) to improve governance and development.

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Recently, India’s first government hospital-based Artificial Intelligence (AI) clinic was inaugurated at the Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), Greater Noida. The AI clinic is part of the GIMS Centre for Medical Innovation to provide AI-driven healthcare directly to doctors and patients. It aims to allow healthcare startups to develop, test, and validate AI solutions in real-world clinical settings. The initiative was attended by over 100 experts, including international specialists and policymakers. The clinic will focus on medical imaging, clinical decision support systems, and data-driven healthcare services.

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Seventy-eight-year-old Congress leader Siddaramaiah became the longest-serving Chief Minister of Karnataka on January 7, 2026, surpassing the record of his role model and social justice icon D. Devaraj Urs. D. Devaraj Urs served as Chief Minister for seven years and 239 days across two terms (1972–1977 and 1978–1980), while Siddaramaiah has served since May 2023, after completing a full earlier term from 2013 to 2018. Urs is remembered for land reforms, while Siddaramaiah earned the image of “champion of the poor” through Bhagya schemes and later five guarantee schemes.

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Recently, European Council President Antonio Luis Santos da Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen were invited as Chief Guests at India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations. They will visit India from 25–27 January and co-chair the 16th India–European Union (EU) Summit on 27 January. Both leaders will meet President Droupadi Murmu and hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. An India–EU Business Forum will be held alongside the summit. India and the European Union have been strategic partners since 2004. The last summit was held virtually in July 2020.

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Recently, India launched its first open-sea marine fish farming project in the Andaman Sea near North Bay, Sri Vijaya Puram. The initiative marks a major step in India’s Blue Economy journey, aiming to harness ocean resources for economic growth and livelihoods. The project is a collaboration between the Ministry of Earth Sciences, National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), and Andaman & Nicobar Islands administration. It focuses on open-sea cultivation of marine finfish and seaweed under natural ocean conditions.