India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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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.

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The Maharashtra Cabinet has approved the Maharashtra Agriculture-Artificial Intelligence (MahaAgri-AI) Policy 2025-2029 to modernize agriculture using Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, drones, and predictive analytics. The policy aims to boost farm productivity and technology adoption in rural areas. Innovation and incubation centres will be set up at four agricultural universities with guidance from top institutes like Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institute of Science (IISc).

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Recently, Arunachal Pradesh declared the years 2025–2035 as the Decade of Hydro Power to harness its hydropower potential of 58,000 megawatts (MW). The government will promote mega, large, and small hydroelectric projects and build a strong policy and regulatory framework. About 19 gigawatts (GW) of hydropower projects worth over ₹2 lakh crore are under development, with expected annual revenue of ₹4,525 crore from 2035 through free power share.

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Recently, Salkhan Fossil Park, also called Sonbhadra Fossils Park, was added to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Tentative List for World Heritage Sites. It is located in Salkhan village in Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh. The park contains stromatolites—layered rocks formed by ancient cyanobacteria—from the Mesoproterozoic era, around 1.4 billion years ago. These fossils are older than those in Shark Bay, Australia, and Yellowstone, USA, and have challenged previous beliefs about early life on Earth.

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Recently, the National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development was renamed as Savitribai Phule National Institute of Women and Child Development. This change reflects its stronger focus on region-specific and mission-driven support for women and child development across India. The institute’s headquarters is in New Delhi with regional centres in Bangalore, Guwahati, Lucknow, Indore, and Mohali, supporting women and child welfare training and research nationwide.

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Municipal corporations of Lucknow, Pune, and Indore were awarded as best-performing Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) at the first National Level Conference of ULBs in Gurugram, Haryana. Urban Local Body means local government institutions managing urban areas. Lucknow showcased e-vehicles for waste collection, big waste processing plants, and converting dumping sites into inspirational points. Lucknow also developed urban forests using the Miyawaki method and built eco-tourism parks like Mango Museum Park. Pune showed ward-level waste collection, biogas plants for power, slum redevelopment, Triple R centres for reusable items, and a “tree ambulance” service.

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The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) recently granted an operating licence for two indigenous 700 megawatt electric (MWe) Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors at Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS) in Gujarat. Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) is India’s top nuclear and radiation safety regulator. Its mission is to ensure nuclear energy and ionising radiation do not harm people or the environment. Its headquarters is in Mumbai.

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Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a technical brief titled “Mapping the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Traditional Medicine”. The brief recognised India’s leadership in using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in traditional medicine, especially Ayush systems. India became the first country to launch the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL). TKDL is a digital database of traditional medicinal knowledge, including Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy. It prevents bio-piracy by documenting traditional practices in patent-compatible formats.

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The Union Ministry of Rural Development has flagged widespread manipulation in digital attendance under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). The manipulation occurred via the National Mobile Monitoring Software (NMMS) App. The National Mobile Monitoring Software (NMMS) system was launched on 21st May 2021 by the Ministry of Rural Development. It allows real-time attendance of MGNREGS workers with geo-tagged photographs at worksites. It aims to increase transparency and ensure better monitoring of MGNREGS.

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Many ex-servicemen recently reported that SPARSH (System for Pension Administration Raksha) has made pension access difficult due to complex interface and unresolved corrections. SPARSH is a web-based pension system launched by the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. It aims to manage pension sanction and disbursement for Army, Navy, Air Force, and Defence Civilians. The system is run by the Defence Accounts Department through the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions), Prayagraj. It removes third-party intermediaries and directly deposits pensions into bank accounts. SPARSH covers the full pension cycle: initiation, sanction, disbursement, revision, and grievance redressal.