India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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Rajasthan has begun classifying sacred ‘Oran’ lands as forests following a Supreme Court order. Orans are community-managed sacred groves in Rajasthan, linked to local deities and traditions. They support grazing, forest produce collection, and water needs, helping rural livelihoods and livestock. Rajasthan has around 25,000 Orans spread over 6 lakh hectares, with some spanning hundreds of hectares. Bhadariya Mata Oran in Jaisalmer covers 17,821 hectares and includes ancient petrographs near water bodies. Orans are habitats for the Great Indian Bustard (GIB), Rajasthan’s State bird and a critically endangered species. Earlier, the 2023 forest policy termed Orans as community land, which lacked protection. On December 18, 2024, the Supreme Court declared Orans as forests under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980.

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Recently, Project Alankar by the Government of Uttar Pradesh was praised in a high-level meeting chaired by the Prime Minister in New Delhi. Project Alankar was launched on 1st October 2021 as an educational reform initiative to improve government secondary schools. The project targets 100% compliance with 35 infrastructure and facility benchmarks in 2,441 schools. It focuses on creating a modern, inclusive, and student-friendly learning environment across the state.

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The Uttar Pradesh Forest and Wildlife Department has launched the ‘Buffer Mein Safar Yojana’ to boost sustainable tourism and protect wildlife. The scheme focuses on turning buffer zones of tiger reserves into eco-friendly tourist spots while helping local communities. It will be implemented in regions like Dudhwa, Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sohagibarwa, and Kartaniya Ghat, all known for rich biodiversity. Semrai Lake, a key site for migratory birds, is being developed as a birdwatching destination under the eco circuit. Local villagers are being trained as guides, cooks, and safari staff to create sustainable jobs and support conservation.

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The Uttar Pradesh government plans to export Kalanamak rice, also called ‘Buddha rice,’ to countries with majority Buddhist populations. Kalanamak rice is a traditional non-basmati aromatic variety known for its high nutritional value. It is mainly grown in eastern Uttar Pradesh, especially Siddharthnagar, as part of the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative. The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has recognized Kalanamak rice as a specialty rice of the world. This rice has been cultivated since the Buddhist period around 600 BC, with grains found in archaeological excavations at Aligarhwa.

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Union Jal Shakti Minister recently launched Swachh Survekshan Grameen (SSG) 2025, India’s largest rural sanitation survey. It will cover 21,000 villages across 761 districts in 34 States and Union Territories (UTs). The survey is part of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) Phase-II to assess sustainability of Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus outcomes. It is conducted by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. An independent agency will ensure transparent field verification. The aim is to track sanitation progress, boost public involvement, and reward high-performing areas.

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The Central Government has launched the Aravalli Green Wall initiative to restore degraded land along the Aravalli mountain range from Gujarat to Delhi. The Aravalli Green Wall Project is a major initiative to develop a 5 km green buffer zone along the Aravalli Hills. It is part of the Union Environment Ministry’s plan to build green corridors and fight land degradation and desertification. The project spans over 6 million hectares across Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Delhi where the Aravalli landscape exists.

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Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated the 2025 Lavender Festival, organized by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR–IIIM) Jammu in Bhaderwah town of Jammu. The festival celebrates Bhaderwah’s rise as a national centre for agri-business innovation and lavender farming. It is part of India’s ‘Purple Revolution’, a key initiative under the Aroma Mission to increase farmer incomes through aromatic crops. Bhaderwah has become the lavender capital of India, transforming conflict-hit villages into agro-prosperity zones.

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Recently, IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) Kharagpur developed a web app called Dynamic Route Planning for Urban Green Mobility (DRUM). DRUM is like Google Maps but also helps users choose routes based on air quality and energy efficiency. It offers five route options: shortest, fastest, Least Exposure to Air Pollution (LEAP), Least Energy Consumption Route (LECR), and a combined suggested route. It uses live pollution and traffic data fetched instantly when a user enters a route. The app uses GraphHopper and Mapbox for real-time routing and traffic updates.

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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.

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The Maharashtra government has launched a new digital system to monitor infrastructure projects using a geo-tagged 13-digit unique identification number. This system is being implemented through the Infra ID portal to improve transparency, real-time tracking, and coordination among departments. It will help prevent duplication of projects and ensure centralized digital records for better decision-making. The system will be piloted in Wardha district first and expanded across the state by October 2025.