India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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Recently, Goa became India’s second fully literate state under the ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram (New India Literacy Programme) after Mizoram. Goa used a Whole-of-Government approach, involving departments like Panchayats, Municipal Administration, Social Welfare, Planning & Statistics, and Women & Child Development. The ULLAS scheme is a centrally sponsored programme from 2022 to 2027, aiming to educate adults aged 15 and above through five components including literacy, life skills, and vocational training.

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The Department of Land Resources (DoLR), Ministry of Rural Development, will conduct the second phase of capacity-building under the NAKSHA programme starting 2nd June 2025. The NAtional geospatial Knowledge-based land Survey of urban Habitations (NAKSHA) programme is a city survey initiative under the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP). It is led by the Department of Land Resources (DoLR) under the Ministry of Rural Development. The programme prepares detailed maps of towns and cities to improve land records.

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The Uttar Pradesh government launched the Bachpan Day Care Centres in 26 more districts to support children with special needs. These centres are specialized facilities that provide early care, education, and social training for differently-abled children in a safe and inclusive environment. Currently, they are active in 25 districts, including all divisional headquarters and seven aspirational districts like Chitrakoot, Fatehpur, Bahraich, Shrawasti, Balrampur, Siddharthnagar, and Chandauli.

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Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Chenab and Anji rail bridges in Jammu and Kashmir, marking a major milestone in regional connectivity. The Chenab Rail Bridge is the world’s highest railway arch bridge. It is a steel-and-concrete engineering marvel spanning 1,315 meters across the Chenab River gorge. It is designed to withstand earthquakes and strong winds, and it will reduce travel time between Katra and Srinagar to just about 3 hours. The Anji Rail Bridge is India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge, located in Reasi district.

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Recently, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) started an official investigation into the Air India flight AI-17 crash involving a Boeing 787. Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is a government agency under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, set up in 2012 to investigate aircraft accidents and serious incidents in Indian airspace. Its goal is to find out what went wrong and suggest safety steps, not to blame anyone.

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The Union Minister of Women and Child Development has launched the Gender Budgeting Knowledge Hub to support gender-sensitive planning across India. It is a digital platform developed by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. The aim is to help policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders use gender-disaggregated data and tools for better planning. The portal offers policy briefs, best practices, and resources to promote gender equity in budgeting. It supports both Central and State-level planning with a focus on gender inclusion.

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The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has launched a new initiative called ‘Pratibha Setu’ to connect top talent with verified employers, including central government and private organisations. Pratibha Setu was earlier known as the Public Disclosure Scheme (PDS) and helps employers access details of non-recommended but willing candidates who cleared all UPSC exam stages but didn’t make the final merit list. This gives a second chance to skilled candidates and helps employers recruit nearly equally meritorious individuals.

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Recently, a new inter-state water dispute has emerged between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh over the Banakacherla Reservoir Project, with Telangana claiming it violates the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. The Banakacherla Reservoir Project is a proposed irrigation project by the Andhra Pradesh government to divert surplus water from the Godavari River to the drought-prone Rayalaseema region. It is located in Banakacherla in the Nandyal district of Andhra Pradesh.

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Recently, India’s first wooden Gurdwara named Sri Nanak Niwas was built in Fazilka, Punjab, inside the police lines. The Gurdwara is crafted using Deodhar wood imported from Finland, known for its strength and resistance to moths, sunlight, and rain. A skilled carpenter from Ludhiana, who has experience building wooden homes abroad, carried out the construction work. This unique wooden shrine is seen as a heartfelt tribute to faith and the spirit of service, known as seva.

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The Union Railway Minister recently launched the RailOne app in New Delhi. RailOne is a new super app to handle all railway-related passenger needs in one place. It was developed by the Centre for Railway Information Systems, a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) of Indian Railways. RailOne combines services like ticket booking, real-time tracking, food ordering, Passenger Name Record (PNR) status, refunds, porter booking, and last-mile taxi.