India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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Controller General of Communication Accounts (CGCA) Smt. Vandana Gupta inaugurated onboarding of MTNL employees retiring in November 2025 onto the SAMPANN pension portal at the Principal CCA Office, Delhi. The initiative covers 45,939 MTNL pensioners from Delhi and Mumbai, including current and past retirees, and will enable fully digital pension processing from December 2025. SAMPANN (System for Accounting and Management of Pension) is a Comprehensive Pension Management System (CPMS). It is an online pension processing and payment system for Department of Telecommunications pensioners under the Ministry of Communications.

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The Madhya Pradesh government announced that the state is now free of Naxalism following the surrender of two Maoist militants in Balaghat district. The achievement is credited to the national mission to eliminate Naxalism by 2026, supported by central guidance. The announcement was made under the ‘Rehabilitation to Rejuvenation’ campaign, aimed at reintegrating surrendered Naxalites into mainstream society.

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Tamil Nadu has launched a Community-based Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (CbMRV) system to create a people-led climate intelligence movement, strengthening grassroots participation in climate action and decision-making. The CbMRV system was introduced as a pilot in 2023 under the UK PACT (Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions) programme, with the aim of testing community-driven climate data mechanisms. The core concept of CbMRV is to empower local communities to actively collect, validate, and report climate and environmental data, rather than relying solely on top-down institutional assessments.

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The Chief Minister of Sikkim has declared Cho La and Dok La passes, located in the border areas of Sikkim, open for tourists. This has been done under the Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan initiative of the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Tourism. The initiative aims to promote border tourism, improve infrastructure, and support livelihoods in remote border villages. It focuses on boosting connectivity, tourism, and socio-economic development in border regions. The initiative offers virtual tours, historical stories, and interactive content on key battlefields.

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The Archaeological Survey of India organised a national workshop on Project Mausam titled “Islands at the Crossroads of Maritime Networks within Indian Ocean Region.” Project Mausam is a cultural-diplomacy and maritime heritage initiative launched in 2014 by the Ministry of Culture. It explores the Indian Ocean world, documenting cultural, commercial, and religious interactions through archaeological and historical research. The project identifies 39 Indian Ocean countries for study and potential UNESCO World Heritage inscription. It promotes research on maritime routes via international seminars and a multidisciplinary approach.

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The Lok Sabha passed the Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Bill 2025. The Bill amends the Insurance Act 1938, the Life Insurance Corporation Act 1956, and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act 1999. It aims to accelerate growth and development of the insurance sector and ensure better protection for policyholders. The Bill proposes to improve ease of doing business for insurance companies, enhance transparency in regulation-making, and strengthen regulatory oversight. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that more than INR 17,000 crore has been infused into public sector insurance companies to enhance efficiency.

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In Betul district of Madhya Pradesh, farmer-led natural farming is reducing crop loss, soil degradation and distress migration. The change is driven through the Joint Initiative for Village Advancement (JIVA) programme. JIVA was launched by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). It is implemented under NABARD’s existing watershed and wadi programmes. The programme promotes agroecology principles for long-term farming sustainability. It focuses on improving soil health, crop resilience and farm incomes. JIVA aims to strengthen existing social and natural capital in villages. It encourages farmers to shift gradually towards natural farming practices.

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The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) unveiled a new logo and mascot to modernise its identity and improve public outreach. The initiative reinforces the role of official statistics in policy formulation, nation-building, and data-driven governance. The logo reflects the theme “Data for Development”, with the Ashoka Chakra symbolising truth, transparency, and good governance. The Rupee symbol (₹) highlights statistics’ role in economic planning and policymaking. The mascot “सांख्यिकी” makes statistics accessible, relatable, and citizen-centric, used across surveys, campaigns, education, digital platforms, and public events.

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Indian Railways will introduce its first Vande Bharat Sleeper Train, upgrading overnight rail travel in India. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that testing and certification are fully completed. The inaugural route will run between Guwahati (Assam) and Howrah (West Bengal). The train will have 16 fully air-conditioned coaches with AC 3-tier, AC 2-tier, and AC First Class, carrying about 823 passengers. It features ergonomic berths, new suspension, and modern safety systems for comfortable overnight journeys. The service will boost regional connectivity and offer Assamese and Bengali cuisine on board.

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The Union Minister directed sediment removal at the Salal Power Project in Jammu and Kashmir to maximise water use amid the Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan being kept in abeyance. Salal is a 690 Megawatt (MW) run-of-the-river hydroelectric project on the Chenab River in Reasi district. It is owned by National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC). It was India’s first hydropower project under the Indus Waters Treaty regime in Kashmir. The dam is 130 metres high at 1627 feet above mean sea level. Jammu and Kashmir gets 12.5 percent power, while the rest goes to the Northern Grid supplying multiple northern states.