Current Affairs Quiz — 01 January 2025
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
What corpus did the Union Cabinet approve on 1 January 2025 for the Fund for Innovation and Technology (FIAT) under the crop insurance schemes?
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Correct answer: D — ₹824.77 crore
PIB (Cabinet): the Cabinet approved creation of the Fund for Innovation and Technology (FIAT) with a corpus of ₹824.77 crore.
Under YES-TECH in PMFBY, what minimum weightage is given to technology-based yield estimates?
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Correct answer: A — 30%
PIB (Cabinet): YES-TECH uses remote sensing technology for yield estimation with minimum 30% weightage to technology-based yield estimates.
Consider the following statements about the crop insurance decisions of 1 January 2025: 1. WINDS envisages Automatic Weather Stations at block level and Automatic Rain Gauges at panchayat level. 2. 2024-25 was approved as the first year of WINDS implementation, with central fund sharing of 90:10. 3. Madhya Pradesh has adopted 100% technology-based yield estimation. Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Correct answer: B — 1, 2 and 3
PIB (Cabinet): all three are stated — AWS at block and ARGs at panchayat level; 2024-25 approved as WINDS' first year with 90:10 central sharing; MP has adopted 100% technology-based yield estimation.
Which body centrally coordinates the subscription process under the One Nation One Subscription scheme?
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Correct answer: B — INFLIBNET
PIB (Education): the entire subscription process will be centrally coordinated by INFLIBNET, an autonomous inter-university centre under the UGC.
How many international publishers' journals are covered under Phase I of One Nation One Subscription, which began on 1 January 2025?
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Correct answer: C — 30
PIB (Education): Phase I provides access to more than 13,000 scholarly journals from 30 major international publishers; 6,300 is the number of institutions.
Consider the following statements about the One Nation One Subscription scheme: 1. It was approved by the Union Cabinet on 25 November 2024. 2. ₹6,000 crore has been allocated for the three calendar years 2025, 2026 and 2027. 3. It provides ₹150 crore per year for beneficiary authors to publish in selected open access journals. Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Correct answer: D — 1, 2 and 3
PIB (Education): Cabinet approved ONOS on 25 November 2024; ₹6,000 crore covers 2025, 2026 and 2027; and ₹150 crore per year supports open access publishing.
At what rate per tonne did the Union Cabinet on 1 January 2025 extend the one-time special package on DAP beyond the NBS subsidy?
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Correct answer: A — ₹3,500 per tonne
PIB (Cabinet): the Cabinet approved extension of the one-time special package on DAP beyond the NBS subsidy @ ₹3,500 per MT from 01.01.2025 till further orders.
What is the approximate financial implication of the DAP special package extension approved on 1 January 2025?
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Correct answer: B — Up to ₹3,850 crore
PIB (Cabinet): the tentative budgetary requirement is approximately up to ₹3,850 crore; ₹2,625 crore was the earlier package and ₹6,475 crore is the total since April 2024.
Consider the following statements about fertiliser subsidy as stated in the Cabinet release of 1 January 2025: 1. Subsidy on P&K fertilisers has been governed by the NBS scheme since 1 April 2010. 2. The first one-time special package on DAP covered 1 April to 31 December 2024. 3. The new extension of the special package is limited to the Rabi 2024-25 season only. Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Correct answer: C — 1 and 2 only
PIB (Cabinet): NBS has governed P&K subsidy w.e.f. 01.04.2010 and the July 2024 package covered 01.04.2024 to 31.12.2024; the extension runs from 01.01.2025 till further orders, so statement 3 is wrong.
Which senior Maoist cadre was among the 11 who surrendered in Gadchiroli on 1 January 2025?
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Correct answer: B — Vimla Chandra Sidam alias Tarakka
The Hindu; Indian Express: 11 Maoists, including senior cadre Vimla Chandra Sidam alias Tarakka, surrendered in the presence of CM Devendra Fadnavis.
What was the length of the Gatta–Gardewada–Wangeturi road inaugurated by Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis in Gadchiroli on 1 January 2025?
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Correct answer: C — 32 km
The Hindu; Indian Express: the CM inaugurated the 32-km Gatta–Gardewada–Wangeturi road and MSRTC bus services on the Wangeturi–Gardewada–Gatta–Aheri route.
The Ministry of Defence declared 2025 as the year of what?
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Correct answer: C — Year of Reforms
PIB (Defence): it was unanimously decided to observe 2025 as the 'Year of Reforms' in the Ministry of Defence.
Which structural change in the Armed Forces do the 'Year of Reforms' focus areas seek to facilitate through jointness and integration?
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Correct answer: D — Establishment of Integrated Theatre Commands
PIB (Defence): reforms should aim to further bolster jointness and integration initiatives and facilitate establishment of the Integrated Theatre Commands.
Who chaired the meeting at which it was decided to observe 2025 as the 'Year of Reforms' in the Ministry of Defence?
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Correct answer: A — Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh
PIB (Defence): Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh chaired a meeting with all the Secretaries of the MoD on the eve of the New Year, where the decision was taken unanimously.
On which two estates did the Kerala Cabinet approve model townships for Wayanad landslide survivors on 1 January 2025?
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Correct answer: D — Elstone and Nedumpala estates
The Hindu; Hindustan Times: the townships will come up on 58.50 hectares of Elstone Estate and 48.96 hectares of Nedumpala Estate.
What size of house will each family get in the Wayanad rehabilitation townships approved on 1 January 2025?
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Correct answer: A — 1,000 sq ft, single-storey
The Hindu; Hindustan Times: the homes will be 1,000 sq ft and single-storeyed.
Consider the following statements about the Wayanad rehabilitation plan approved on 1 January 2025: 1. Families at Elstone Estate will get five-cent plots and those at Nedumpala Estate 10-cent plots. 2. Elstone Estate falls under the Kalpetta municipality. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: B — Both 1 and 2
The Hindu; Hindustan Times: five-cent plots at Elstone (Kalpetta municipality) and 10-cent plots at Nedumpala (Meppadi panchayat).
Botanist K.S. Manilal, who died on 1 January 2025, is best known for his work on which treatise?
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Correct answer: C — Hortus Malabaricus
The Hindu; Indian Express: Manilal devoted about 35 years to the research, translation and annotation of the Latin botanical treatise Hortus Malabaricus.
In which year was K.S. Manilal awarded the Padma Shri?
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Correct answer: D — 2020
The Hindu; Indian Express: Manilal was awarded the Padma Shri in 2020 for his contributions to botany.
The exchange of nuclear installation lists between India and Pakistan on 1 January 2025 was the how-manyth consecutive exchange?
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Correct answer: A — 34th
MEA: this is the 34th consecutive exchange of such lists, the first having taken place on 1 January 1992.
Under which agreement do India and Pakistan exchange lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen every 1 January and 1 July?
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Correct answer: B — Agreement on Consular Access, 2008
MEA: under the provisions of the bilateral Agreement on Consular Access 2008, such lists are exchanged every year on 1 January and 1 July.
Consider the following statements about the India–Pakistan exchanges of 1 January 2025: 1. India shared names of 381 civilian prisoners and 81 fishermen in its custody. 2. Pakistan shared names of 49 civilian prisoners and 217 fishermen in its custody. 3. The Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations and Facilities was signed on 31 December 1988. Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Correct answer: C — 1, 2 and 3
MEA: India — 381 civilian prisoners and 81 fishermen; Pakistan — 49 civilian prisoners and 217 fishermen; the nuclear agreement was signed on 31 December 1988 and entered into force on 27 January 1991.
Who assumed command of the IAF's Western Air Command on 1 January 2025?
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Correct answer: D — Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra
PIB (Defence): Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra assumed command of the Western Air Command on 01 January 2025, succeeding Air Marshal Pankaj Mohan Sinha.
What post did Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra hold immediately before taking over the Western Air Command?
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Correct answer: A — Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations)
PIB (Defence): he was Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations) prior to taking over his present appointment.
How many awards will be conferred under the 28th National Awards for e-Governance 2025?
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Correct answer: D — 16
PIB (DARPG): 16 awards are being conferred under NAeG 2025 — 10 Gold and 6 Silver.
What incentive will Gold awardees receive under the National Awards for e-Governance 2025?
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Correct answer: A — ₹10 lakh
PIB (DARPG): an incentive of ₹10 lakh for Gold awardees and ₹5 lakh for Silver awardees, to be used for public welfare projects.
Who assumed charge as CEO of UIDAI on 1 January 2025?
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Correct answer: B — Bhuvnesh Kumar
PIB (MeitY): Shri Bhuvnesh Kumar assumed charge as the CEO of UIDAI on Wednesday (1 January 2025).
To which IAS batch and cadre does UIDAI CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar belong?
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Correct answer: C — 1995 batch, Uttar Pradesh cadre
PIB (MeitY): he is an officer of the 1995 batch IAS from the Uttar Pradesh cadre.
Which State launched an e-office implementation system for government files on 1 January 2025, with the CM inaugurating it from Samatva Bhawan?
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Correct answer: D — Madhya Pradesh
Free Press Journal; Patrika: Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav inaugurated the e-office system from Samatva Bhawan (CM House) on Wednesday, 1 January 2025.
In which offices was Madhya Pradesh's e-office system first started on 1 January 2025?
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Correct answer: A — Chief Minister's office and Chief Secretary's office
Free Press Journal; Patrika: the e-office system was started in the CM Secretariat and the Chief Secretary's office, and is to be extended gradually to all departments.
How many projects did Odisha's 133rd SLSWCA meeting approve on 1 January 2025?
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Correct answer: B — 25
Odisha TV; Kalinga TV: the 133rd SLSWCA meeting approved 25 projects worth ₹4,222.24 crore across 16 sectors and 11 districts.
How many jobs are the projects approved by Odisha's SLSWCA on 1 January 2025 expected to generate?
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Correct answer: C — 14,497
Odisha TV; Kalinga TV: the projects are expected to generate more than 14,497 job opportunities.