Daily Current Affairs

IEPFA (Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority; under MCA) and SEBI launched ‘Niveshak Shivir’ — a nationwide initiative to help investors reclaim unclaimed shares and dividends. Meeting chaired by IEPFA CEO Anita Shah Akella; with SEBI Whole-Time Member Ananth Narayan G. and EDs Shashi Kumar Valsakumar and Jeevan Sonparote.

• Investor Helpdesks at Mumbai + Ahmedabad (with RTAs Link Intime India + KFin Technologies)
• Form IEPF-5 for claims by physical shareholders; digital search facility to track share status
• Integrated Digital Portal (IDP) launching by August 2025 for real-time tracking

DST (Department of Science & Technology) launched 5 Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) testbeds in the cement industry — India’s first-of-its-kind R&I cluster to reduce industrial carbon emissions. Established across 5 states: Haryana, UP, Maharashtra, AP, and Goa; pilot facility at Ballabgarh, Haryana. Announced at the 27th National Technology Day (11 May 2025) at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.

• Function under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model supporting translational R&D with premier academic and industrial partners
• Grants handed over by MoS (IC) Dr. Jitendra Singh (MoS&T, Udhampur, J&K)

MoS Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani (MoC + MoRD) addressed ‘Bharat 6G 2025’ — the 3rd International Conference and Exhibition on 6G (14 May 2025, New Delhi). India has joined the top 6 countries globally in 6G patent filings; sanctioned ₹300 crore (USD 35.14 mn) for 111 6G research projects.

• Bharat 6G Vision unveiled by PM Modi on 23 March 2023
• DoT established Bharat 6G Alliance (B6GA); structured 9-year mission (2022–2031) in 3 phases: fund research → field trials → global standards contribution
• 6G potential: revolutionise healthcare, education, agriculture, and smart cities

The UP government added 12 new district-specific products to its ODOP (One District One Product) list, raising the total from 62 to 74. New additions include:

• Agricultural implements (Baghpat), hosiery (Saharanpur), metal products (Ghaziabad, Hamirpur)
• Metal + wooden handicrafts (Amroha), petha + footwear (Agra), wooden products (Bareilly)
• Chicory (Etah), sattu (Ballia), rushes (Bijnor), food processing (Firozabad + Pratapgarh)

MoCAF&PD sanctioned an additional 2.8 million tonnes (MT) of FCI rice for ethanol production under the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme. Total allocation for ESY 2024-25 (December 2024 to October 2025): raised from 2.4 MT to 5.2 MT. Reserve price cut: ₹2,800/quintal → ₹2,250/quintal (−₹550).

• At 470 litres/tonne conversion rate, total allocation could yield ~2.45 billion litres of ethanol
• Ethanol distilleries: permitted to procure up to 24 lakh tonnes; State Govts/Corporations: up to 12 lakh tonnes (without e-auctions)

DFCCIL (Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited; PSU under MoR; est. 2006) launched India’s longest Rail Flyover (RFO) girder at Kalamboli, Maharashtra on the JNPT–Nilje section of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC).

• Girder specs: 110.5 m long | ~1,500 tonnes | open web steel girder
• Launched with a 34-metre radial shift over active Indian Railways tracks without disrupting train services
• Represents one of India’s most complex railway engineering projects

The UP government launched ‘Mukhyamantri Suposhan Abhiyan’ — a targeted nutrition campaign across 8 aspirational districts (Chitrakoot, Fatehpur, Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Siddharthnagar, Chandauli, Sonebhadra) for children aged 3–6 years. Benefits 11,13,783 children.

• Nutrition: 400 calories + 15–20g protein/child/day — flavoured milk, seasonal fruits, millet-chikki nutribar
• Model: Take-Home Ration (THR) through Bal Vikas Sewa Evam Pushtahar Vibhag centres
• Budget: ₹254.83 crore (₹44/child/day)
• Monitoring: Health assessments to track anaemia, stunting, and underweight cases
• Follows the success of the ‘Sambhav Abhiyan’

Per Kantar BrandZ ‘2025 World’s Most Valuable Global Brands’ report, the global Top 100 total brand value reached USD 10.7 trillion (+29% YoY) — a record high.

India and EU launched 2 research initiatives (15 May 2025) under the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC); joint investment: ₹391 crore (41 million euro); co-funded by Horizon Europe (EU) and GoI.

UNESCO and G20 (under South Africa’s 2025 Presidency) advanced their partnership to promote ethical AI governance in public services; global workshop held 11 April 2025, Gqeberha, South Africa. Focus: role-specific AI training for civil servants, ethical AI deployment, and public-private partnerships (e.g., Singapore’s ‘AI Wednesdays’). Since 2021, UNESCO’s AI for the Public Sector Programme has supported 50+ countries via the AI and Digital Transformation Competency Framework.

The Government of Fiji signed a health MoU with GoI — signed by Fiji’s Assistant Health Minister Penioni Ravunawa and India’s MoS MEA Pabitra Margherita in Suva, Fiji. Under the MoU:

• Fiji will source medicines and medical equipment directly from Indian manufacturers
• All medicines to be regulated via Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) (autonomous agency under MoHFW)
• Includes training + capacity-building for Fiji’s healthcare workforce

Chennai-based Indian Bank launched 2 new FD schemes (both valid till 30 September 2025; min investment ₹1,000 to <₹3 crore):

Discontinued (from 8 May 2025): IND SUPER 400 Days (7.30%–8.05%) and IND SUPREME 300 Days (7.05%–7.80%).

UN-DESA’s ‘World Economic Situation and Prospects as of mid-2025’ revised India’s GDP growth forecast for CY25 to 6.3% (down from 7.1% in CY24); projected to grow to 6.4% in CY26. India remains one of the world’s fastest-growing large economies.

• Global growth: 2.4% (2025) and 2.5% (2026) — both 40 bps below January 2025 estimates

Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) (PSU under MoPSW, Kochi) entered a strategic collaboration with Drydocks World (Dubai, UAE; wholly owned subsidiary of DP World) to develop world-class ship repair clusters across India. Based on an MoU signed in April 2025 during the visit of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum (Crown Prince of Dubai) to India.

• Drydocks World CEO Capt. Rado Antolovic visited CSL’s Main Yard, 310m Dry Dock, and ISRF in Kochi
• Aligns with Maritime India Vision 2030 + Amrit Kaal Vision 2047

Arunabha Ghosh — Founder + CEO of CEEW (Council on Energy, Environment and Water), New Delhi — appointed as South Asia Envoy for COP-30 (30th UN Climate Conference of Parties; Belém, Brazil, November 2025). He is 1 of 10 international envoys for strategic regions; also currently Vice-Chair of UN Committee for Development Policy (UNCDP).

• Role: Facilitate dialogue and ensure South Asian voices are represented at COP-30

The Indian Army successfully conducted large-scale integrated field exercise ‘Teesta Prahar’ at the Teesta field firing range, West Bengal. Arms participated: Infantry, Artillery, Armoured Corps, Mechanised Infantry, Para Special Forces, Army Aviation, Engineers, and Signals. Highlight: deployment and assessment of newly inducted next-generation weapon systems and advanced battlefield technologies.

Kanpur-based DMSRDE (Defence Materials Stores and Research & Development Establishment) — DRDO laboratory — developed an indigenous nanoporous multi-layered polymeric membrane for high-pressure seawater desalination, designed for Indian Coast Guard (ICG) vessel desalination plants. Completed in 8 months.

• Addresses challenge of stability against chloride ions in saline water
• DMSRDE + ICG conducted successful testing on ICG’s Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV)
• Final operational approval pending 500 hours of operational testing

India successfully tested ‘Bhargavastra’ — an indigenous low-cost counter-drone system developed by Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited (SDAL), subsidiary of Solar Industries India Ltd (SIIL), Nagpur; tested at Seaward Firing Range, Gopalpur, Odisha. Three trials: 2 single micro-rocket firings + 1 salvo (2 rockets in 2 seconds).

• Two-layered defence: unguided micro-rockets (lethal radius 20m for drone swarms) + guided micro-missiles (precision targeting)
• Detection: Small drones at 2.5 km; radar range 6–10 km
• Features: EO/IR sensor suite, C4I Command-and-Control Centre, modular design (soft-kill: jamming + spoofing), deployable above 5,000 m altitude

Spanish technology company GMV (Grupo Mecanica del Vuelo) launched ‘LUPIN’ (Enabling High Performance PNT in the Lunar Environment) — a GPS-like navigation system for the Moon developed under an ESA (European Space Agency) programme for advanced Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) techniques. Field-tested 27 April – 8 May 2025 at La Oliva, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain (selected for its moon-like rocky terrain).

• Provides real-time positioning for astronauts and rovers using signals from lunar-orbiting satellites
• Combines real-time mapping with existing lunar cartography — described as “Google Maps/Waze for the Moon”
• Serves as a precursor to future Mars exploration missions

The 7th Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) 2025 — organised by MYAS + SAI — was held 4–15 May 2025 across 5 Bihar cities (Patna, Rajgir, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Begusarai) + New Delhi. 28 sports disciplines; Sepak takraw included for the first time; E-sports included as a demonstration sport.

The IUCN Red List (2025) now covers 169,420 species assessed, of which 47,000+ face extinction.

• Indian endangered species (per IUCN): Bengal Tiger, Asiatic Lion, Snow Leopard, One-Horned Rhinoceros, Indian Bison

The International Day of Living Together in Peace is observed on 16 May annually — established by UNGA through Resolution 72/130 (2017); inaugural celebration: 16 May 2018. Emphasises unity in diversity, mutual respect, and sustainable development.

• UNGA declared Year 2000 as International Year for a Culture of Peace (Resolution 52/15, 1997)
• Decade 2001–2010: International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for Children (1998)
• UNGA endorsed UNESCO’s Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace (Resolution 53/243, 1999)

The International Day of Light (IDL) is observed on 16 May annually; 2025 marks the 8th edition. Led by UNESCO under its International Basic Science Programme (IBSP).

• Theme 2025: ‘Light, Innovation, Society’
• Marks the anniversary of Theodore Maiman’s first successful laser operation (1960)
• Traces origins to IYL 2015 (proclaimed 20 Dec 2013 by UNGA); annual observance established by UNESCO’s Executive Board on 19 September 2016 (200th session, Paris)
• First IDL: 16 May 2018, UNESCO HQ Paris

National Dengue Day is observed on 16 May annually — initiated in 2010 by MoHFW; raises awareness about dengue fever (mosquito-borne viral disease).

• Theme 2025: ‘Act Early, Prevent Dengue: Clean Surroundings, Healthy Living’
• Anti-Dengue Month observed in July
• Nodal agency: NCVBDC (National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control) | Director – Dr. Tanu Jain | HQ – New Delhi

Endangered Species Day (ESD) is observed on the 3rd Friday of May; in 2025 it falls on 16 May. 2025 marks the 20th annual observance.

• Theme 2025: ‘Celebrate Saving Species’
• Established in 2006 by David Robinson and the Endangered Species Coalition; internationally celebrated since 2013
• The US Endangered Species Act (ESA) 1973 is credited with saving species like the gray wolf and bald eagle