General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - November 2017

Nov 2017

Nov 01, 2025

Kerala Declares Itself Extreme-Poverty Free, First State in India

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan formally announced in the state assembly and that the state has eradicated extreme poverty. The LDF government claims Kerala is the first state in India to do so.
CM Pinarayi Vijayan made the announcement on the occasion of the anniversary of Kerala's formation day.
This came after the state government launched Extreme Poverty Alleviation Project in 2021 and identified 64,006 families as "extremely poor". These families then became beneficiaries of a four-year-long project with the objective of eliminating extreme poverty in the state.

Indian Railways to Patronise 'Aabhar' Online Store in a Bid to Encourage Local Artisans

In a bid to promote local talent, the Indian Railways will patronise the newly launched 'Aabhar' online store that will showcase a range of exquisite gift items manufactured by indigenous tribes, handloom weavers and others coming under the ambit of One District One Product (ODOP) and Geographical Indication (GI) products.
The online store hosted by the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) sources gift items exclusively from the Central Cottage Industries Emporium (CCIE), Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), and various Central and State Handicraft and Handloom Emporiums.

Oct 31, 2025

NITI Aayog Releases Twin Reports on India's Services Sector

B. V. R. Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog, launched two inaugural reports under the Services Thematic Series in the presence of Arvind Virmani, Member, NITI Aayog, and V. Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Adviser, Government of India. The event was attended by senior officials from Central and State Governments, representatives from industry associations and members of academia. These reports are one of the first dedicated assessments of the services sector from the macro lens of output and employment, going beyond aggregate trends to present disaggregated and state-level profiles.
The first report 'India's Services Sector: Insights from GVA Trends and State-Level Dynamics' examines national and state-level trends to understand how services-led growth is unfolding across regions and whether states with lower initial shares in services are catching up with more advanced ones, an important indicator of balanced regional development.
The other report on 'India's Services Sector: Insights from Employment trends and State-Level Dynamics' analyses services sector employment to present a multi-dimensional profile of India's services workforce across sub-sectors, gender, regions, education, and occupations. It goes beyond aggregate trends to reveal the sector's dual character: modern, high-productivity segments that are globally competitive yet limited in employment intensity, and traditional segments that absorb large numbers of workers but remain predominantly informal and low-paying.

PM Modi Launches Coin & Stamp for Sardar Patel

On the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a key figure in India's post�'independence unification, the government of India took symbolic and substantive steps to honour his legacy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a special commemorative coin and postage stamp.

Nationwide Marine Fisheries Census Launched

A nationwide initiative to document the status of India's marine fishing community was officially launched, marking the beginning of household enumeration under the 5th Marine Fisheries Census (MFC) 2025.
Union Minister of state for fisheries George Kurian launched the initiative and a national workshop at a function held at Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI). MFC 2025 will cover more than 1.2 million fisher households across India's coastal states and union territories, providing crucial data for sustainable fisheries management and policy planning. The census is coordinated by department of fisheries of ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, with CMFRI as nodal agency and Fishery Survey of India as operational partner.
After the launch, Kurian inaugurated National Marine Fisheries Data Centre at CMFRI. The centre will serve as a central repository for comprehensive fisheries data across India.

Oct 30, 2025

President Murmu Takes Sortie in Rafale Fighter Jet

President Droupadi Murmu undertook a sortie in a Rafale fighter aircraft from the Air Force Station in Ambala, Haryana, becoming the first President of India to fly in two fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF). In April 2023, she had taken a sortie in a Sukhoi-30 MKI from the Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam.
The President, who is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, flew for approximately 30 minutes covering about 200 kilometres before returning to the Air Force Station. The aircraft was flown by Group Captain Amit Gehani, Commanding Officer of the 17 Squadron.

The 3rd National Conference on National e-Vidhan Application

The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs organised the 3^rd National Conference on the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) in October 2025 in the Main Committee Room, Parliament House Annexe, New Delhi.
Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs and Dr. L. Murugan, Minister of State of Parliamentary Affairs and Information and Broadcasting will grace the occasion. Shri Nikunja Bihari Dhal, Secretary and Dr. Satya Prakash, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs were also present during the conference.
The conference was attended by over 100 participants, including the Secretaries of Legislative Houses and Secretaries of the Nodal Departments of the concerned State Governments, who play a pivotal role in the implementation and operationalisation of the NeVA project in their respective States.
The NeVA is one of the 44 Mission Mode Projects (MMPs) under the Digital India Programme of the Government of India. It aims to make the functioning of all State Legislatures paperless, transforming them into 'Digital Houses', and integrating all 37 Legislative Houses on a single digital platform under the vision of 'One Nation, One Application'.

National Maritime Heritage Complex Logo Launched at India Maritime Week 2025

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, unveiled the logo of the proposed National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) at Lothal in Gujarat on the second day of India Maritime Week 2025 in Mumbai. He also released the NMHC Research Report on the occasion and inaugurated the Maritime Heritage Day celebrations. The launch marked a crucial step in showcasing and preserving India's vast maritime history and promoting it through digital, cultural, and tourism-led initiatives. The NMHC, to be established at Lothal in Gujarat, is envisioned as a world-class facility to commemorate India's ancient maritime legacy while inspiring future innovation in the sector.
The theme for India Maritime Week 2025 being held from October 27 to 31 is 'the theme 'Uniting Oceans, One Maritime Vision'.

Oct 29, 2025

Uttar Pradesh to Create Kalyan Singh Nagar, Its 76th District

Uttar Pradesh is preparing to establish its 76^th district, as announced by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The new district will be named Kalyan Singh Nagar, although the proposal has not yet been presented in the assembly. Given the Chief Minister's announcement, it is expected that the proposal will soon come before the Assembly.
The new district will be formed by reallocating areas from Aligarh and Bulandshahr. This area was the birthplace and workplace of former Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, hence the district's name.

Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda Convenes 31st Meeting of the Central Supervisory Board

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Jagat Prakash Nadda convened the 31^st meeting of the Central Supervisory Board (CSB) to reiterate the nation's commitment to strengthen the implementation of the PC&PNDT Act and to prevent the misuse of medical technologies for sex selection and sex determination. The meeting agenda included detailed discussions to address the issues of gender balance and review the progress made on various action points that were decided during the last CSB meeting.

World Bank Approves $280 Million Loan for Kerala Health

The World Bank approved a $280 million loan for Kerala under the Kerala Health System Improvement Programme (KHSIP) to enhance healthcare access, longevity, and system resilience. The initiative aims to transform the state's health infrastructure to better serve 11 million elderly and vulnerable people, especially in the face of climate-related challenges.
The KHSIP is designed to provide comprehensive, climate-resilient healthcare solutions by focusing on chronic disease management, digital transformation, and grassroots-level outreach.

Oct 28, 2025

Rajasthan Bans Employment of Children under 14 in Shops and Commercial Establishments

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma approved the Rajasthan Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, which prohibits the employment of children aged below 14 years in shops and commercial establishments, an official statement said.
The government also approved amendments to the Rajasthan Factories (Amendment) Rules, 2025, aimed at promoting business activities while ensuring the welfare and safety of workers.
Under the ordinance, the minimum age for apprentices was raised from 12 to 14 years, and adolescents aged 14 to 18 will no longer be permitted to work during the night - a change from the earlier limit of 12 to 15 years.

Amit Shah Inaugurates 'Deep Sea Fishing Vessels'

Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated 'Deep Sea Fishing Vessels' under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) at Mazgaon Dock, Mumbai, marking a major step towards modernising India's marine fisheries sector and strengthening the cooperative movement along the nation's coastline.
The event was attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, and Union Minister of State for Cooperation Murlidhar Mohol.

Aurangabad Railway Station Renamed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

In a move reinforcing regional heritage, the Aurangabad Railway Station in Maharashtra was officially renamed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Railway Station, as per a notification by the Central Railway. The station now carries the new code 'CPSN', and falls under the Nanded Division of South Central Railway. The renaming follows the earlier change of the city's name from Aurangabad to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in 2022, a decision taken by the Eknath Shinde-led state government.

Share on

TCY Analytics (View Subscription Plans)

Subscribe to GK Updates

I want to receive

GK Tags

July GK, June GK, May GK, INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, ENVIRONMENT, BUSINESS AND ECONOMY, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, SPORTS, NATIONAL AFFAIRS, DEFENCE, PERSONS IN NEWS, DAYS AND EVENTS, AWARDS AND HONOURS, GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND SCHEMES, GENDER/ HEALTH/ EDUCATION, ART AND CULTURE, BOOKS AND AUTHORS, TOURISM AND HOTEL INDUSTRY AWARENESS, ART AND CULTURE, LAW AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Start Discussion

On any topic

Take Tests

Compiled from GK updates

Login

Sign Up

Forgot Password

Download TCY App

Unlock All Services And Enjoy The Premium Benefits

US$ 10

US$ 13

US$ 15

US$ 17

US$ 19

US$ 20

US$ 21

US$ 22

US$ 23

US$ 24

US$ 25

US$ 26