Current Affairs Quiz — 16 July 2025
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
The Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana, approved by the Cabinet on 16 July 2025, will cover how many districts?
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Correct answer: B — 100
PIB (Cabinet): the Cabinet approved the scheme for a period of six years, beginning with 2025-26, to cover 100 districts.
The PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana draws inspiration from which programme?
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Correct answer: D — NITI Aayog's Aspirational District Programme
PIB (Cabinet): the scheme draws inspiration from NITI Aayog's Aspirational District Programme and is the first of its kind focusing exclusively on agriculture and allied sectors.
Consider the following statements about the PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana: 1. Districts will be identified on low productivity, low cropping intensity and less credit disbursement. 2. At least one district will be selected from each state. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
PIB (Cabinet): 100 districts will be identified based on low productivity, low cropping intensity and less credit disbursement, and a minimum of 1 district will be selected from each state. Both are correct.
The PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana will be implemented through convergence of how many existing schemes, and its progress monitored monthly on how many key performance indicators?
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Correct answer: A — 36 schemes across 11 departments; 117 KPIs
PIB (Cabinet): the scheme will be implemented through convergence of 36 existing schemes across 11 departments, and progress in each district will be monitored on 117 KPIs through a dashboard on a monthly basis.
Which foreign university's India campus, inaugurated on 16 July 2025 in Gurugram, became the first to be operationalised under UGC's foreign campus regulations?
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Correct answer: C — University of Southampton
PIB (MoE): the University of Southampton became the first foreign university to operationalise a campus in India under the UGC (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations.
The University of Southampton, which opened its India campus in Gurugram in July 2025, is a founding member of which UK university group?
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Correct answer: A — Russell Group
PIB (MoE): the University of Southampton is a QS Top 100 global institution and a founding member of the UK's Russell Group.
Consider the following statements about the University of Southampton's India campus: 1. It was set up under the University Grants Commission (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations, a reform under NEP 2020. 2. The university received its Letter of Intent on 29 August 2024. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
PIB (MoE): the campus is the first under UGC's new regulations enabling foreign universities to set up branch campuses, a key reform under NEP 2020; the university received its official Letter of Intent on 29 August 2024. Both are correct.
At the 16 July 2025 meeting chaired by the Union Jal Shakti Minister, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana agreed to install telemetry devices for real-time monitoring of water flows in which basin?
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Correct answer: D — Krishna
PIB (Jal Shakti): both states agreed on the installation of telemetry devices for real-time monitoring of water flows in the Krishna Basin.
Immediate maintenance measures were agreed at the 16 July 2025 AP–Telangana meeting to safeguard which dam?
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Correct answer: B — Srisailam
PIB (Jal Shakti): it was agreed that immediate measures would be taken to address the maintenance issues to safeguard Srisailam dam.
Consider the following statements about the outcomes of the AP–Telangana meeting on 16 July 2025: 1. The office of the Krishna River Management Board will be shifted to Vijayawada/Amaravati. 2. The remaining issues were referred to a tribunal. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
PIB (Jal Shakti): both states agreed the KRMB office would be shifted to Vijayawada/Amaravati, so 1 is correct; remaining issues go to a committee of senior officials and technical experts from both states and the Centre, not a tribunal, so 2 is wrong.
At the CSC Diwas event on 16 July 2025, free AI training was announced for how many individuals, with priority for Village Level Entrepreneurs?
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Correct answer: B — 10 lakh
PIB (MeitY): among the key announcements was free AI training for 10 lakh individuals, with priority for all VLEs.
As stated at the CSC Diwas event in July 2025, the number of Common Service Centres has grown from about 83,000 in 2014 to nearly:
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Correct answer: D — 5.5 lakh
PIB (MeitY): MoS Jitin Prasada said there were only 83,000 CSC centres in 2014, and the number has grown to nearly 5.5 lakh.
The CCEA on 16 July 2025 allowed NLC India Limited to invest how much in its subsidiary NLC India Renewables Limited, exempt from Navratna investment guidelines?
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Correct answer: B — ₹7,000 crore
PIB (CCEA): the exemption enables NLCIL to invest Rs 7,000 crore in its wholly owned subsidiary NIRL. (₹7,500 crore and ₹20,000 crore relate to NTPC's delegation approved the same day.)
The NLCIL investment approved on 16 July 2025 was also exempted from which ceiling stipulated by the Department of Public Enterprises for CPSE investment in JVs and subsidiaries?
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Correct answer: C — 30% of net worth
PIB (CCEA): the investment is further exempted from the 30% net worth ceiling stipulated by DPE for overall investment by CPSEs in JVs and subsidiaries.
Akash Prime, which destroyed two high-speed unmanned aerial targets on 16 July 2025, is the upgraded variant of the Akash Weapon System for which service?
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Correct answer: D — Indian Army
PIB (MoD): Akash Prime is the upgraded variant of the Akash Weapon System for the Indian Army.
Akash Prime, tested in Ladakh on 16 July 2025, is customised to operate at altitudes above:
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Correct answer: D — 4,500 metres
PIB (MoD): the weapon system is customised to operate in altitude above 4,500 metres and has an indigenously developed Radio Frequency seeker.
Consider the following statements about the Akash Prime trial of 16 July 2025: 1. It was conducted as part of the First of Production Model firing trial. 2. Akash Prime uses an imported infrared seeker. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
PIB (MoD): the trials were done as part of the First of Production Model firing trial, so 1 is correct; Akash Prime has an indigenously developed Radio Frequency seeker, so 2 is wrong.
On NAMASTE Day, 16 July 2025, which helpline number was launched for waste pickers in Lucknow?
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Correct answer: A — 14473
PIB (MoSJE): MoS B L Verma inaugurated the helpline (14473) for waste pickers in Lucknow.
The NAMASTE scheme, whose day was observed on 16 July 2025, is implemented by which body and for what period?
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Correct answer: A — NSKFDC; FY 2023-24 to 2025-26
PIB (MoSJE): the scheme is being implemented by the National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC) for three years from FY 2023-24 to 2025-26 with a budget of Rs 349.73 crore.
According to the IIA study reported in July 2025, the great geomagnetic storm that began on 10 May 2024 and caused auroras over Ladakh was linked to a sequence of how many coronal mass ejections?
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Correct answer: D — Six
PIB (DST): the great geomagnetic storm that started on 10 May 2024 was linked to a rare sequence of six different CMEs erupting in succession.
Consider the following statements about the IIA study on the May 2024 solar storm: 1. The team found that the CMEs initially release heat but later absorb and hold onto it during their journey. 2. The rare chain of solar blasts was reported from IIA's Indian Astronomical Observatory at Hanle, Ladakh. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
PIB (DST): initially the CMEs release heat but then enter a state where they absorb and hold onto it; the six interacting solar blasts were reported from IIA's Indian Astronomical Observatory in Hanle, Ladakh. Both are correct.
The enhanced delegation granted to NTPC by the CCEA on 16 July 2025 for renewable energy investment raised the limit to:
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Correct answer: A — ₹20,000 crore
PIB (CCEA): NTPC's investment in NGEL and onward in NREL and other JVs/subsidiaries was allowed beyond the earlier approved limit of Rs 7,500 crore up to Rs 20,000 crore.
NTPC's enhanced investment delegation approved in July 2025 is aimed at achieving how much renewable energy capacity by 2032?
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Correct answer: B — 60 GW
PIB (CCEA): the delegation is for RE capacity addition to achieve 60 GW renewable energy capacity by 2032. (32 GW by 2047 is NLCIL's target.)
Consider the following statements about the workshop inaugurated by CDS General Anil Chauhan on 16 July 2025: 1. It was held at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi, on indigenisation of critical components in UAVs and counter-UAS. 2. The CDS called for a counter-UAS grid integrating radars, sensors, jammers and directed energy weapons. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
PIB (MoD): the CDS inaugurated the Workshop and Exhibition on Indigenisation of Critical Components in UAV and C-UAS at Manekshaw Centre, and detailed the need for a counter-UAS grid integrating radars, sensors, jammers and directed energy weapons. Both are correct.
Which foundation day of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) was celebrated on 16 July 2025?
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Correct answer: B — 97th
PIB (MoA&FW): Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan attended the 97th Foundation Day celebration of ICAR at NASC Complex, Pusa, New Delhi.