India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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Recently, the Narcotics Control Bureau busted a huge international drug racket through the darknet under Operation MELON. Operation MELON led to the recovery of LSD blots, Ketamine, and cryptocurrency. LSD stands for Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, and Ketamine are highly potent hallucinogenic drugs. Hallucinogens are psychedelic substances that change how people see, hear, taste, smell, or feel, and can also affect mood and thoughts. Ketamine is not an opioid but acts as a N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist in the brain. Officials also found TAILS Operating System, a system designed for accessing darknet markets.

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Recently, the National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS), an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched the TALASH initiative for tribal students in Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs). TALASH stands for Tribal Aptitude, Life Skills and Self-Esteem Hub. It is the first national-level programme in India focused on tribal students’ education and personal growth. It was launched in collaboration with United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) India.

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Recently, Maharashtra became the first state in India to give agricultural status to livestock and poultry farming. The decision was approved by the Maharashtra Cabinet to support rural economy and animal husbandry. Livestock farmers will now get benefits like crop farmers, including subsidies, low tariffs, and credit access. This move bridges the policy gap between crop cultivators and livestock farmers. Farmers can now avail subsidies on electricity, solar pumps, and interest on loans.

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Recently, India achieved 20% ethanol blending in petrol in 2025, five years ahead of the 2030 target. This success is part of the Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme (EBP Programme). The EBP Programme was launched in January 2003 by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoP&NG). It aims to promote environment-friendly alternative fuels and reduce crude oil import dependency.

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Recently, in the Rajya Sabha, Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal shared updates on the Nyaya Bandhu (Pro Bono Legal Service) programme. As of now, 9,261 Pro Bono Advocates are registered on the platform. Pro Bono Advocate Panels have been formed in 23 High Courts. Till 30 June 2025, around 14,888 women have sought legal help on the app for issues like domestic violence, property, workplace harassment, etc. Nyaya Bandhu (Pro Bono Legal Service) is an initiative of the Department of Justice, Government of India. It aims to provide free legal aid to marginalized sections of society by connecting them with volunteer lawyers through a mobile application. It falls under the “Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice” (DISHA) scheme

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Central government recently urged all states to actively use the India Cine Hub Portal to promote global film production locally. India Cine Hub Portal was launched on June 28, 2024 by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It is a single-window system for film permissions, incentives, and resource mapping across India. It was developed under the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC). Its aim is to help foreign filmmakers shoot films in India by easing procedures and promoting India as a filming destination.

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National Commission for Women (NCW) launched an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Literacy Program named “Yashoda AI” in May 2025. The program aims to equip women across India with AI literacy for better digital inclusion. It focuses on empowering women in areas like cyber security, digital privacy, and safe online practices. Till date, around 2500 women from rural and semi-urban areas have received training under this program. Beneficiaries include Self-Help Group (SHG) members, elected representatives like Sarpanchs, MLAs, ASHA workers, students, faculty, micro-entrepreneurs, police, and government officials. This update was shared by Minister of State for Women and Child Development Smt. Savitri Thakur in Rajya Sabha.

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Indian Railways conducted a trial run of Asia’s largest freight train ‘Rudrastra,’ 4.5 km long. The trial ran from Ganjkhwaja, Uttar Pradesh, to Garhwa, Jharkhand, covering 209 km in 5 hours 10 minutes at 40.50 km/h average speed. Rudrastra was prepared by joining three long-haul racks, each made of two goods trains. It had 345 wagons, each empty wagon carrying 72 tonnes of goods capacity. Seven engines were used, with two in front and one after every 59 bogeys.

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The government recently approved four new semiconductor manufacturing projects in Odisha, Punjab, and Andhra Pradesh under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM). India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) is a specialized and independent institution operates under the guidance of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). It operates as a business division within the Digital India Corporation. It aims to create a strong semiconductor and display ecosystem, making India a global hub for electronics manufacturing and design.

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On 14th August, the Union Minister of Panchayati Raj launched ‘SabhaSaar’, an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered tool, in New Delhi, first rolled out in Tripura. ‘SabhaSaar’ creates structured minutes of gram sabha meetings from video and audio recordings, ensuring uniformity nationwide. Panchayat officials can upload recordings using e-GramSwaraj login credentials. It is built on Bhashini, an AI language translation platform. It transcribes, translates, and summarizes in major Indian languages and English. It supports panchayats, administrative bodies, and rural development projects with instant meeting insights.