General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - January 2025

Jan 2025

Nov 03, 2025

Jyotiraditya Scindia Inaugurates North Eastern Science & Technology (NEST) Cluster

Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya Scindia inaugurated the North Eastern Science & Technology (NEST) Cluster at IIT Guwahati and laid the foundation stone for transformative development projects worth Rs. 635 crore across Assam.
The event was attended by senior officials from the Government of Assam, representatives of educational institutions, and members of the scientific and entrepreneurial community.
The North Eastern Science & Technology (NEST) Cluster, established with an investment of Rs. 22.98 crore, will serve as the nerve centre of the Northeast's innovation ecosystem — transforming local wisdom into global solutions. It will focus on four verticals: Grassroots Innovation; Semiconductors & Artificial Intelligence; Bamboo-Based Technologies; Biodegradable Plastics.

Delhi Government Launches 'Pink Saheli Smart Card' for Free Travel

The Delhi government introduced the 'Pink Saheli Smart Card', a special initiative aimed at providing free and convenient travel for women and transgender individuals across Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses.
With this new scheme, daughters, sisters, and mothers above the age of 12 can now enjoy free rides across the capital.

Modi Inaugurates Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave 2025

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi in November 2025. Prime Minister also addressed the gathering on the occasion.
In a major boost to the R&D ecosystem in the country, Prime Minister launch the ₹1 Lakh crore Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme Fund. The scheme aims to promote a private sector–driven research and development ecosystem in the country.
ESTIC 2025 is being held from 3–5 November 2025. The conclave brings together over 3,000 participants from academia, research institutions, industry and government, along with Nobel Laureates, eminent scientists, innovators and policymakers. Deliberations focus on 11 key thematic areas, including Advanced Materials & Manufacturing, Artificial Intelligence, Bio-Manufacturing, Blue Economy, Digital Communications, Electronics & Semiconductor Manufacturing, Emerging Agriculture Technologies, Energy, Environment & Climate, Health & Medical Technologies, Quantum Science & Technology, and Space Technologies.

Nov 02, 2025

Lucknow Added To Creative Cities List Of UNESCO For Rich & Diverse Culinary Heritage

Lucknow has been added to the list of UNESCO creative cities for its rich and diverse culinary heritage. The city has been recognised in the category of Gastronomy at the 43rd session of its General Conference in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The designation places Lucknow among 70 gastronomy cities worldwide and makes it the second Indian city to win the title after Hyderabad.

Union Health Ministry Sets Three Guinness World Records Under Women's Health Campaign

The Union Health Ministry has achieved three Guinness World Records titles under the nationwide Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan (SNSPA) campaign, according to a release issued by the Ministry on Friday.
The records include - the most people to register for a healthcare platform in one month (3,21,49,711 or over 3.21 crore), the most people to sign up for a breast cancer screening online in one week (9,94,349 or over 9.94 lakh), and the most people to sign up for vital signs screening online in one week at the State level (1,25,406 or over 1.25 lakh).

Deepak Mittal Assumes Charge as India's Ambassador-Designate to UAE

Deepak Mittal assumed charge as the Ambassador-Designate of India to the United Arab Emirates, bringing with him over two decades of diplomatic experience across key global assignments. A 1998-batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service, Mittal has served in Indian missions in Egypt, Israel, and Bangladesh, and was earlier the Consul General of India in Ho Chi Minh City and has served as India's Ambassador to the State of Qatar.
At the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi, Mittal has held several important positions, including leading the division handling consular affairs and later heading the desk managing India's relations with Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran. He has also served in the Office of the Prime Minister of India for two terms, first as Director and later as Additional Secretary. Fluent in Hindi, English, and Arabic, Mittal is known for his wide-ranging diplomatic expertise and regional experience.

Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu Inaugurates Crèche Facility at Udaan Bhawan in New Delhi

Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu inaugurated a crèche facility at Udaan Bhawan in New Delhi. The Ministry of Civil Aviation said that the initiative is a step towards fostering a more inclusive, supportive, and employee-friendly workplace. The crèche is equipped for the routine care of children aged six months to six years, including growth monitoring, nutrition, play, pre-school learning, and medical care. The establishment of the crèche is a part of the Ministry's efforts under the ongoing Special Campaign 5.0.

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'.

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