India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, released India’s first Guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Blood Transfusion and Blood Banks for Animals. The guidelines provide a structured framework for animal transfusion medicine, covering donor selection, blood collection, component processing, storage, transfusion, monitoring, and safety. India has 537 million livestock and 125 million companion animals, with livestock contributing 5.5% to national GDP and over 30% to agricultural GDP. The guidelines aim to strengthen clinical care, save animal lives, protect livelihoods, and advance animal welfare nationwide.

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The Delhi government launched the “Vishram Grih” pilot project to provide rest facilities for patient attendants. The project is being implemented in city hospitals, including Lok Nayak Hospital. It offers a dedicated space for families waiting for patients, especially those traveling long distances. The initiative aims to create a comfortable resting place for attendants during extended hospital stays. Facilities will help family members who spend long hours at the hospital while patients undergo treatment. Primary beneficiaries are patients’ families and attendants, particularly those coming from other cities or states for hospital care.

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The 9th edition of Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2025 began nationwide on 17 September. The campaign will run for 15 days and culminate on 2nd October, Gandhi Jayanti. It aims to mobilise millions of citizens for high-impact cleanliness drives. Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2025 is jointly launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation. The focus is on Cleanliness Target Units, i.e., dark, dirty, and neglected spots. Citizens, communities, and institutions will work together for visible cleanliness.

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The Maharashtra Government announced two initiatives- NaMo Gardens and NaMo Tourism Skill Programme to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 75th birthday on September 17, 2025. NaMo Gardens will be developed across all 394 municipal councils and nagar panchayats with a total budget of ₹394 crore (₹1 crore per civic body). Gardens will be completed within one year and named after the Prime Minister. Divisional-level competitions will reward the top three civic bodies with ₹5 crore, ₹3 crore, and ₹1 crore respectively. NaMo Tourism Skill Programme will train 7,500 local youths in hospitality and tour guiding. NaMo Tourism Information and Facilitation Centres will be set up at heritage sites like Raigad, Pratapgad, Shivneri, Salher forts, and Meghdoot Bungalow, Mumbai.

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The Ahmednagar railway station of Pune division in Maharashtra has been renamed as Ahilyanagar to honour Lokmata Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar. The change was approved by the Union Home Ministry after a Maharashtra Government proposal. The renaming aligns the station’s name with the district, which was officially renamed Ahilyanagar earlier this year. Central Railway confirmed the update on 16th September 2025. The station code ANG will remain unchanged.

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State Level Technical Committee (SLTC) approved two sewage treatment plant (STP) projects along the Indrayani River in Pimpri Chinchwad to curb water pollution. Indrayani River is located in Maharashtra and is a tributary of the Bhima River, which flows into the Krishna River. It is a rain-fed river originating from the Western Ghats near Lonavala along the Mumbai-Pune Highway. The river flows through Pune district and merges with the Bhima River at Tulapur, covering 105.3 km. The STP projects aim to revitalize the Indrayani River, protecting both religious sites and urban water needs.

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Karnataka government launched LEAP (Local Economy Accelerator Programme) with ₹1,000 crore investment for 5 years. The programme supports Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns with infrastructure, co-working spaces, mentorship, and market access. A 3.5-acre Technology Park in Mangaluru will provide space for 3,500 people. Karnataka follows the 3P strategy – people, policy, participation. The state plans 500 new Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in 4 years, creating 5 lakh jobs, and will soon launch a Circular Economy Policy.

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In its first phase, the DRAVYA portal aims to catalogue information on 100 key medicinal substances. DRAVYA stands for Digitized Retrieval Application for Versatile Yardstick of AYUSH Substances. It is the largest digital database of Ayurvedic ingredients and products. The portal combines data from classical Ayurveda texts, modern scientific literature, and field studies. It is an initiative of the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS). The portal is Artificial Intelligence (AI)-ready and will link with the Ayush Grid and drug policy initiatives. It features QR code integration for standardised display in medicinal plant gardens and repositories. It offers open-access, dynamic data on Ayurvedic pharmacology, botany, chemistry, and safety information.

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The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Ministry of Ayush, launched SPARK–4.0 (2025–26), the fourth edition of the Studentship Program for Ayurveda Research Ken (SPARK). The program aims to ignite scientific curiosity and research aptitude among undergraduate Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) students across India. 300 BAMS students from National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) recognized colleges will receive a studentship of ₹50,000 (₹25,000 per month for two months). SPARK provides short-term independent research projects under faculty mentorship, covering research methodology, experimental design, and data analysis. The program fosters a research-oriented generation of Ayurveda professionals and strengthens the Ayush research ecosystem.

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Recently, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment launched the revamped Sugamya Bharat App at the Purple Fest in Goa. The app was launched under the Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan). It aims to enhance accessibility for Divyangjan (persons with disabilities) and elderly citizens across India. It serves as a citizen-led platform to make public spaces more inclusive and accessible. The app includes an Accessibility Mapping Function to rate public places based on accessibility. It has a Consolidated Directory for schemes, scholarships, benefits, and jobs for Divyangjan. It provides curated job and education listings from both government and private sectors.