Current Affairs — 19 March 2025
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
Wed, 19 Mar 2025
PFRDA notifies regulations to operationalise the Unified Pension Scheme from 1 April 2025
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority notified the PFRDA (Operationalisation of the Unified Pension Scheme under NPS) Regulations, 2025 by a gazette notification dated 19 March 2025, effective 1 April 2025.
Sunita Williams and NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 return to Earth; Williams and Wilmore complete 286 days in space
NASA's SpaceX Crew-9, including Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams, splashed down off Tallahassee, Florida, at 5:57 pm EDT on 18 March 2025, which was 3:27 am IST on 19 March 2025.
BCCL monetises 2 MTPA Dugda coal washery in Jharkhand, India's first coal washery monetisation
Bharat Coking Coal Limited, a Coal India subsidiary, monetised its 2 MTPA Dugda Coal Washery in Bokaro, Jharkhand, the first monetisation of a coal washery in India, the Ministry of Coal said on 19 March 2025.
SEBI brings demat and mutual fund holdings to DigiLocker to reduce unclaimed assets
SEBI issued a circular on 19 March 2025 letting investors store demat and mutual fund holding statements in DigiLocker and name 'Data Access Nominees', to reduce unclaimed assets in the securities market.
CCEA approves ₹4,500 crore six-lane greenfield highway from JNPA Port (Pagote) to Chowk in Maharashtra
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on 19 March 2025 approved a 29.219 km six-lane access-controlled greenfield highway from JNPA Port (Pagote) to Chowk in Maharashtra, to be built on BOT (Toll) mode at ₹4,500.62 crore.
Cabinet approves ₹1,500 crore incentive scheme for low-value BHIM-UPI person-to-merchant payments
The Union Cabinet on 19 March 2025 approved a ₹1,500 crore incentive scheme for 2024-25 that pays banks 0.15% on UPI person-to-merchant transactions of up to ₹2,000 for small merchants.
Cabinet approves revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission with total outlay of ₹3,400 crore
The Union Cabinet on 19 March 2025 approved the revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission with an additional ₹1,000 crore, taking the total outlay to ₹3,400 crore for the 15th Finance Commission cycle (2021-22 to 2025-26).
Cabinet approves ₹10,601 crore Namrup-IV brownfield ammonia-urea complex in Assam
The Union Cabinet on 19 March 2025 approved a 12.7 LMT-a-year brownfield ammonia-urea complex (Namrup-IV) within the premises of Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Ltd at Namrup, Assam, at an estimated cost of ₹10,601.40 crore.
C-DOT launches 'Samarth' incubation programme for telecom and ICT startups
The Centre for Development of Telematics launched the first cohort of 'Samarth', an incubation programme for startups in telecom and ICT, with STPI as implementation partner, on 19 March 2025.
Cabinet approves revised National Programme for Dairy Development with ₹2,790 crore budget
The Union Cabinet on 19 March 2025 approved the revised National Programme for Dairy Development, a Central Sector Scheme, adding ₹1,000 crore for a total of ₹2,790 crore for 2021-22 to 2025-26.
Rajnath Singh addresses fifth Major Bob Khathing Memorial Event; recalls Tawang's peaceful integration
Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh addressed the fifth Major Bob Khathing Memorial Event, organised by the Indian Army, Assam Rifles and the United Service Institution of India at Delhi Cantt on 19 March 2025.
President Murmu presents 19th Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards
President Droupadi Murmu presented the 19th Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in New Delhi on 19 March 2025.
Four-day symposium 'India 2047: Building a Climate-Resilient Future' begins at Bharat Mandapam
A four-day symposium, 'India 2047: Building a Climate-Resilient Future', organised by two Harvard University institutes with the Environment Ministry, began at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on 19 March 2025.