India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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Gujarat is establishing its first hi-tech nursery in Davas village, Deesa taluka, Banaskantha district to boost afforestation and conserve rare plant species. The project will cover 13 acres at an estimated cost of Rs 3.5 crore, implemented by the Gujarat Forest Department and Social Forestry Department, under Forest and Environment Minister Pravin Mali. The nursery aims to produce high-quality, disease-free, and robust saplings using advanced technologies, controlled environments, and scientific cultivation methods.

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The Government of India is promoting semiconductor talent development through the Chips to Startups (C2S) programme under the India Semiconductor Mission. The programme aims to train about 85,000 engineers in semiconductor design within 10 years to strengthen India’s chip ecosystem. The Chips to Startups (C2S) Programme is an umbrella capacity-building initiative launched by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

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The Indian Railways recently launched the SHINE app on International Women’s Day to promote workplace safety and empowerment for women employees. SHINE stands for Sexual Harassment Incident Notification for Empowerment. The app allows women employees to lodge complaints of sexual harassment while maintaining confidentiality. Complaints are addressed promptly by the Internal Complaints Committee in accordance with Visakha Guidelines (1997) and government instructions. Complaints can be filed through the Human Resources Management System (HRMS) and the Employee Self Service portal.

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The Gujarat Urban Development Mission launched the ‘Lake and Air Watch’ initiative to monitor lake health and air quality in cities. It is a technology-driven environmental monitoring programme under the Urban Development and Urban Housing Department of Gujarat. Satellite technology will track lake area changes, algae growth, waste accumulation and water quality indicators. Real-time AQI (Air Quality Index) monitoring stations will be installed in 17 municipal corporations and 152 municipal areas. An automated alert system will warn authorities when air pollution rises or lake conditions worsen.

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The Union Minister of Jal Shakti recently released the Sujal Gaon ID to strengthen digital monitoring of rural water supply. Sujal Gaon ID is a scheme-based unique digital identifier used for complete digital mapping of rural piped water supply assets. These IDs have been created for villages across 31 States and Union Territories (UTs). Each Sujal Gaon ID is linked with Sujalam Bharat ID for integrated digital records. It works under the “Sujalam Bharat” national digital architecture, which maps the entire rural water supply chain from source to tap. The initiative has been launched by the Ministry of Jal Shakti under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).

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The Ministry of Ayush launched the “Desh ka Prakriti Parikshan Abhiyan” campaign to create awareness about ‘Prakriti’ in Ayurveda. The campaign aimed to assess individuals’ Prakriti for a positive approach towards their health. Assessment was conducted via a mobile application developed with guidance from Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), a unit of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), following Ayurveda principles. More than 1,40,69,556 Indian citizens aged 18+ have undergone Prakriti assessment with the support of 1,85,704 volunteers including students, teachers, practitioners, and medical officers.

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The Indian Navy has commenced the second edition of the Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) SAGAR initiative from 16 March 2026, reinforcing India’s commitment to maritime security and cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region. The initiative follows India’s assumption of the chairmanship of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium in February 2026 and includes participation from 16 member nations. IOS SAGAR is part of India’s broader vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and aligns with the MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security Across the Regions) framework. It aims to enhance maritime partnerships, improve interoperability, and strengthen regional security cooperation.

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The Ministry of Ayush has launched the “Yoga 365” campaign to promote yoga as a daily practice rather than a once-a-year event. The initiative was unveiled during Yoga Mahotsav–2026 at Vigyan Bhawan, marking the 100-day countdown to the International Day of Yoga 2026. The campaign aims to build on the global success of the International Day of Yoga by encouraging consistent engagement with yoga throughout the year.

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The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) launched the “RuPay On-The-Go” National Common Mobility Card (NCMC)-enabled smart card scheme on April 1, 2026, to modernize public transport. This initiative allows commuters to use digital, contactless cards for seamless travel on state-run buses. These Aadhaar-linked cards are designed for students, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and women to easily avail travel concessions. The system supports offline, tap-and-pay transactions, enhancing convenience and digital efficiency.

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The ‘School Chalen Hum’ campaign was launched in Bhopal by Mohan Yadav to boost universal school enrolment and quality education. It was conducted from April 1–4, it targets all children across 55 districts and more than 50,000 villages. It aligns with Pravesh Utsav (admission festival) and focuses on distribution of 5.6 crore textbooks and learning materials.
The initiative supports goals of the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020). Enrolment increased by 19.6%, with 32.4% rise in government schools. Sandipani Vidyalayas and PM-SHRI (Prime Minister Schools for Rising India) schools promote quality infrastructure.