India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution launched three digital platforms—Depot Darpan Portal, Anna Mitra App, and Anna Sahayata Platform—to improve India’s Public Distribution System (PDS). These platforms aim to ensure transparency, accountability, and citizen participation, benefiting over 81 crore people under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). Depot Darpan Portal allows depot officials to assess their performance using Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, CCTV, and real-time analytics, and may save ₹275 crore in Food Corporation of India (FCI) depots. Anna Mitra App helps Fair Price Shop (FPS) dealers and officers track stock, alerts, and reports in real time. Anna Sahayata Platform enables easy grievance filing via WhatsApp, Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS), and speech tools for PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) users. These steps support the Digital India mission and aim to build a developed India or “Viksit Bharat” through technology-driven welfare delivery.

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India’s first Mahouts Village was recently inaugurated at the Theppakadu Elephant Camp in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu. A total of 44 houses have been built for mahouts and their families, who care for and manage elephants. This is the first such dedicated settlement in India aimed at improving the lives of mahouts. The project has been developed at a cost of ₹5.6 crore. It provides permanent and well-equipped housing for mahouts and cavadis (assistants), recognizing their traditional skills and contribution to elephant care. The initiative highlights Tamil Nadu’s efforts to ensure welfare of both elephants and their caretakers.

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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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The world’s largest container ship, MSC Irina, is making its maiden call at Vizhinjam Port in Kerala, marking its first entry into a South Asian port. MSC Irina is a part of the Irina-class ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs) and was built in 2023. It sails under the Liberian flag and is operated by the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), based in Switzerland. It uses green technologies like air lubrication, energy-efficient propellers, and an advanced hull to reduce carbon emissions.

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Himachal Pradesh has launched a Border Tourism initiative to promote sustainable tourism in tribal areas near the Indo-China border. The initiative will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu during his visit to Shipki-La village in Kinnaur district. It is developed with the Union Government to support inclusive growth in remote border areas. Domestic tourists and locals can now access sites in Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti like Shipki-La, Lepcha-La, Gue Monastery, and Chitkul.

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The Department of Posts has launched Gyan Post, a special postal service for delivering educational, cultural, social, and religious books. It supports the goals of the New Education Policy (NEP) by making printed learning material affordable and accessible, especially in rural and remote areas. A tracking facility is available to ensure transparency and timely delivery. This initiative helps bridge the educational gap and promote inclusive learning across India.

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Recently, on June 23, 2025, Tripura was officially declared a fully literate state, becoming the third in India after Mizoram and Goa. The achievement was celebrated as a historic and proud moment for the state. Literacy is considered vital for fulfilling the goal of ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India) by 2047. In Tripura, 23,184 illiterate adults were identified and educated under this mission. The Ministry of Education urged the state to promote continued learning, digital literacy, and skill development.

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In a historic move, NTPC Limited launched India’s first hydrogen fuel cell buses in Leh, Ladakh. The buses were delivered to Sindhu Infrastructure Development Corporation (SIDCO) as part of NTPC’s Green Hydrogen Mobility Project. The initiative is expected to cut down around 350 metric tonnes of carbon emissions and produce 230 metric tonnes of pure oxygen annually, equal to planting 13,000 trees.

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The Central Adoption Resource Authority recently clarified that adoptive parents do not need hard copies of adoption orders as digitally certified copies sent by e-mail are legally valid. The Central Adoption Resource Authority is a statutory body under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India. It was set up in 1990 as an autonomous body. Under Section 68 of the Juvenile Justice Care and Protection of Children Act 2015, it became a statutory body. It is the nodal agency to monitor and regulate adoption of Indian children within the country and abroad.

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The Union Ministry of Coal and Mines released guidelines for the ‘Aspirational District Mineral Foundation (DMF) Programme’ in July 2025. It aims to align DMF work with Aspirational District Programme (ADP) and Aspirational Block Programme (ABP). The guidelines focus on key areas like health, nutrition, education, agriculture, and rural infrastructure. District Collectors and State Nodal Officers must treat DMF as a mission to achieve 100% development.