GPSC (Gujarat) Current Affairs One-liners — All time

Thu, 20 Mar 2025

• The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation added 17.89 lakh net members in January 2025, according to provisional payroll data released on 20 March 2025.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a programme of Bavaliyali Dham, linked to Gujarat's Bharwad community, by video message on 20 March 2025, praising the community's service and commitment to cow protection.

Wed, 19 Mar 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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).
• 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.
• 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.

Tue, 18 Mar 2025

• The Election Commission of India led by CEC Gyanesh Kumar decided on 18 March 2025 that linking voter ID (EPIC) with Aadhaar will be done only as per Article 326 of the Constitution, Sections 23(4), 23(5) and 23(6) of the RP Act, 1950, and the Supreme Court judgement in WP (Civil) No. 177/2023.
• The Unique Identification Authority of India partnered with Bengaluru-based Generative AI company Sarvam AI, in an agreement effective 18 March 2025, for AI voice interactions and real-time fraud alerts in 10 languages.
• Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal virtually flagged off indigenous electrolysers made by L&T for a 1 MW green hydrogen plant at Deendayal Port Authority, Kandla, on 18 March 2025.
• In a phone call on 18 March 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to US President Donald Trump's proposal that Russia and Ukraine refrain from striking each other's energy infrastructure for 30 days, but did not accept a full 30-day ceasefire.
• IndiaAI and the Geological Survey of India launched the IndiaAI Hackathon on Mineral Targeting on 18 March 2025, asking participants to use AI/ML to find new exploration areas for critical minerals in a 39,000 sq km area of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
• The Ministry of Electronics and IT and Drone Federation India launched the National Innovation Challenge for Drone Application and Research (NIDAR) under the SwaYaan initiative on 18 March 2025, with a ₹40 lakh prize pool.

Mon, 17 Mar 2025

• New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon held talks with PM Narendra Modi in New Delhi on 17 March 2025 during his official visit of 16–20 March; the two sides signed a defence cooperation MoU and New Zealand joined the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
• Dr Shivkumar Kalyanaraman assumed charge as the Chief Executive Officer of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) on 17 March 2025, taking over from acting CEO Prof. Abhay Karandikar.
• The Government e Marketplace (GeM) crossed ₹5 lakh crore in gross merchandise value (GMV) for FY 2024-25 more than 18 days before the financial year ended, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry announced on 17 March 2025.
• India's annual inflation based on the all-India Wholesale Price Index (WPI) was 2.38% (provisional) in February 2025, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said on 17 March 2025.
• The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said on 17 March 2025 that India's total exports (merchandise and services) in April–February 2024-25 were an estimated $750.53 billion, up 6.24% from $706.43 billion a year earlier.
• The 10th edition of the Raisina Dialogue opened in New Delhi on 17 March 2025, with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon as chief guest delivering the inaugural keynote address and PM Narendra Modi in attendance.
• US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard called on PM Narendra Modi in New Delhi on 17 March 2025, the first high-level visit to India from the US in President Trump's second term, and also met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
• The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and WhatsApp announced a partnership on 17 March 2025 to combat misuse of telecom resources for cyber frauds and to spread awareness through the 'Scam Se Bacho' campaign and Sanchar Saathi.
• The 9th India–Australia Defence Policy Talks were held in New Delhi on 17 March 2025, with the Indian delegation led by Joint Secretary Amitabh Prasad and the Australian side by Bernard Philip, First Assistant Secretary, International Policy Division, Department of Defence.

Sun, 16 Mar 2025

• India and New Zealand announced the launch of negotiations for a comprehensive and mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement on 16 March 2025 in New Delhi, after a meeting between Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and New Zealand's Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay.
• Britain's Jack Draper beat Holger Rune 6-2, 6-2 for his first Masters 1000 title and Russia's 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva beat world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells) finals in California on 16 March 2025.
• China's Shi Yuqi beat Chinese Taipei's Lee Chia-hao 21-17, 21-19 and South Korea's An Se-young beat China's Wang Zhiyi 13-21, 21-18, 21-18 in the singles finals of the All England Open Badminton Championships in Birmingham on 16 March 2025.
• The Reserve Bank of India was honoured with the Digital Transformation Award 2025 by Central Banking, London, for its in-house digital initiatives Pravaah and Sarthi, and was applauded by PM Narendra Modi on 16 March 2025.
• McLaren's Lando Norris converted pole position into victory at the season-opening 2025 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park, Melbourne, on 16 March 2025, finishing 0.895 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen, with George Russell third.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi's podcast conversation with American podcaster Lex Fridman, covering topics from fasting and India's traditions to his life and leadership, was released on 16 March 2025.