India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

Notes:
Indian Railways has started building the first dedicated maintenance depot for Vande Bharat Express trains at Bhagat Ki Kothi in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. This is the first of five such depots planned across India to support the country’s fastest trains. The depot will maintain Vande Bharat trains from different regions of India. It will be 600 meters long and include three pit lines to service three trains at the same time. The project is led by Jodhpur Railway Division and is expected to be operational by the end of 2025.

Notes:
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare will soon launch the CROPIC initiative. CROPIC stands for Collection of Real Time Observations & Photo of Crops. It is launched under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). The initiative uses artificial intelligence (AI) and computer vision to monitor crop health and stress. It aims to automate crop loss assessment and ensure faster payment of insurance claims to farmers.

Notes:
Recently, several people lost their lives due to drowning in the Banas River in Tonk district of Rajasthan. The Banas River is located in the northwestern Indian state of Rajasthan. It originates near Kumbhalgarh in the Aravalli hills and flows northeastward. The river finally merges with the Chambal River just north of Sheopur.

Notes:
Himachal Pradesh has opened the Shipki La Pass to Indian tourists, aiming to boost local economy in Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti, which share a 240-km border with China. Shipki La Pass, once known as Pema La or Shared Gate, is a motorable mountain pass at 3,930 metres in tribal Kinnaur district, Himachal Pradesh. It lies on the India-China border and is among the highest motorable passes in the region. The Sutlej River, called Langqen Zangbo in Tibet, enters India through this pass, which was historically used as a trade route between India and Tibet.

Notes:
India’s largest automobile Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminal was inaugurated at Maruti Suzuki’s Manesar plant in Haryana. It is linked to Patli railway station by a 10 km dedicated rail line, part of the 121.7 km Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor developed by Haryana Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (HRIDC). The terminal cost ₹800 crore, with ₹684 crore funded by HRIDC and the rest by Maruti Suzuki. It can load up to 4.5 lakh automobiles annually, making it one of the highest-capacity terminals in India.

Notes:
The Maharashtra government has recently made Hindi a compulsory third language in all Marathi and English-medium schools from Class 1 to 5. This decision was announced through a new Government Resolution (GR) issued by the School Education and Sports Department. The policy follows the revised education curriculum under the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020). As per the Government Resolution, Marathi will remain the first language, while English or Hindi will be the second language based on the school’s medium.

Notes:
Recently, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal praised Uttar Pradesh for its outstanding use of the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal in public procurement. In financial year 2024–25 alone, Uttar Pradesh completed over 72 lakh procurement orders worth ₹5.43 lakh crore. From financial year 2020–21 to 2024–25, the total procurement value by the state on GeM was ₹65,227.68 crore. Government e-Marketplace (GeM) is an online portal for buying goods and services by central and state government bodies to ensure transparency and competitiveness.

Notes:
Recently, the Maharashtra government declared ‘Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav’ as the official state festival. The announcement was made by Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar in the Legislative Assembly. Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav was started by Lokmanya Tilak in 1893 to promote social unity and nationalism. The festival symbolizes freedom, self-respect, pride in language, and cultural identity. It continues to be a powerful expression of Maharashtra’s cultural heritage. The government aims to preserve, promote, and celebrate Ganeshotsav across the state and the nation.

Notes:
Uttar Pradesh launched the Gram-Urja model to promote energy self-sufficiency and rural employment. The scheme aims to cut Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) usage by 70% in rural kitchens. It is linked with Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to benefit rural farmers. Biogas units will be set up near homes or farms to generate cooking gas and organic fertiliser. Personal cattle sheds will be built; dung from cattle will be used for biogas production.

Notes:
Goa government recently launched India’s first Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) ferry service on the Mandovi River. The ferry connects Chorao Island to Panaji, the capital city of Goa. It aims to boost inland waterway transport and reduce dependence on road traffic. The service will significantly cut down travel time for daily commuters. It offers easier and faster connectivity for locals and tourists visiting the island.