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NATIONAL AFFAIRS
PM Narendra Modi inaugurates & lays foundation stone for railway projects in J&K, Telangana & Odisha
On January 06 2025, Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for various railway projects including Jammu Railway Division, Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), Rayagada Railway Division Building of East Coast Railway, Odisha & Charlapalli New Terminal Station, Telangana via video conferencing in New Delhi (Delhi).
- These projects aim to create employment opportunities, infrastructure development, promote tourism and lead to overall socio-economic development of the region.
i.PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Jammu Railway Division spanning a total length of 742.1 kilometers(km).
ii.PM Narendra Modi also inaugurated the Charlapalli New Terminal Station in the Medchal-Malkajgiri District of Telangana ,a new coaching terminal along with provision of second entry with a cost of around Rs 413 crore.
iii.PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the Rayagada Railway Division Building under the East Coast Railway, Odisha, valued at Rs 107 crore.
>> Read Full News
MoE Released UDISE+ Report for 2023-24 on School Education; School Enrolment Dropped by Over 1 Crore Compared to 2018-19 Level
In January 2025, the Ministry of Education (MoE) released a comprehensive report on the ‘Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2023-24’ on school education in India. As per the report, school enrollment of students in India decreased from 25.17 crore (in 2022-23) to 24.8 crore (in 2023-24), a drop of nearly 1.22 crore students (6%) as compared to 2018-19.
- The report further revealed that enrollment in schools across the country remained above 26 crore from 2018-19 to 2021-2022, showing consistent increase annually except COVID year of 2020-21.
i.As per the report, total number of boys enrolled in school has decreased by 4.87%, from 13.53 crore (in 2018-19) to 12.87 crore (in 2023-24).
- Similarly, the total number of girls enrolled in school has declined by 4.48%, from 12.49 crore (in 2018-19) to 11.93 crore (in 2023-24).
ii.The UDISE+ report showed that the number of single-teacher schools in the country has decreased by 7219, from 1,18,190 (in 2022-23) to 1,10,971 (in 2023-24).
- Among the States, Madhya Pradesh (MP) (13,198), recorded the highest number of schools with single teachers, followed by Andhra Pradesh (AP) (12,611).
About Ministry of Education (MoE):
Union Minister- Dharmendra Pradhan (Lok Sabha Constituency- Sambalpur, Odisha)
Minister of State (MoS)- Jayant Chaudhary (Rajya Sabha- Uttar Pradesh, UP); Dr. Sukanta Majumdar (Constituency- Balurghat, West Bengal, WB)
>> Read Full News
Government launched PLI Scheme 1.1 for specialty steel to boost domestic production
Union Minister of Steel and Heavy Industries, H. D. Kumaraswamy launched the second round of Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for Specialty Steel, termed as PLI Scheme 1.1 on 6th January, 2025 at the Vigyan Bhavan New Delhi.
- The scheme will work within the already allocated funds for the scheme, i.e., Rs.6,322 crore and will be implemented for the period of Financial Year (FY) 2025-26 to FY 2029-30.
Key Highlights:
i.The PLI Scheme 1.1 has been introduced for 5 product categories with respect to the existing PLI Scheme, namely Coated / Plated Steel Products, High Strength / Wear resistant Steel, Specialty Rails, Alloy Steel Products & Steel wires and Electrical Steel.
ii.In the 2nd round of PLI Scheme, investment and capacity creation thresholds for Cold-Rolled Grain-Oriented (CRGO) steel has been reduced to Rs.3,000 crore and 50,000 tonnes to promote participation in this category.
Ministry of Steel:
Union Minister– Haradanahalli Devegowda Kumaraswamy (Mandya, Karnataka)
Minister of State (MoS)- Bhupathi Raju Srinivasa Varma (Narasapuram, Andhra Pradesh)
>> Read Full News
MHA launches ‘e-student visa’ & ‘e-student-x visa’ for foreign students
On January 5 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) introduced two new specialized visa categories: the ‘e-student visa’ and the ‘e-student-x visa’, designed to facilitate foreign students pursuing higher education at Indian academic institutions.
- The e-student visa is available to eligible foreign students registered on the SII portal, while the e-student-x visa is designated for the dependents of e-student visa holders.
- All interested students are required to register on the Study in India (SII) portal, an initiative launched by the Ministry of Education (MoE), to streamline the admission process for international students seeking long-term or short-term courses in India.
About Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA):
Union Minister – Amit Shah (Constituency – Gandhinagar, Gujarat)
Minister of State(MoS) – Nityanand Rai (Constituency – Ujiarpur, Bihar); Bandi Sanjay Kumar (Constituency – Karimnagar, Telangana)
>> Read Full News
Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh chaired the “Northeast Region States Meet 2025” held in Guwahati, Assam
In January 2025, Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying (MoFAH&D) and Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) chaired the ‘Northeast Region States Meet 2025 held in Guwahati, Assam.
- The event was organised by the Department of Fisheries (DoF) under the MoFAH&D to review the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).
i.During the event, Union Minister distributed certificates to fisheries beneficiaries, including National Fisheries Digital Platform (NFDP) registration certificates, Kisan Credit Card (KCC) cards, awards for the best Fisheries-based Farmer Producer Organisations (FFPOs) and Fisheries Start-ups.
ii.He inaugurated and laid the foundation for 50 key projects worth Rs 50 crores under PMMSY covering all NER states except Arunachal Pradesh (AR) and Mizoram.
iii.He also launched India’s first organic fisheries cluster in Soreng district of Sikkim, which will boost farmer incomes and promote sustainability in aquaculture.
About Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (MoFAH&D):
Union Minister- Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh (Constituency- Munger, Bihar)
Minister of State (MoS) – S.P. Singh Baghel (Constituency- Agra, Uttar Pradesh, UP); George Kurian (Rajya Sabha- Madhya Pradesh, MP)
>> Read Full News
FIU-IND Signs MoU with IRDAI for Enhanced Cooperation in Combating Money Laundering
On January 6, 2025, the Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) to foster mutual cooperation between FIU-IND and IRDAI in areas critical to Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) within the insurance sector
- This MoU is part of a broader strategy to implement the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) and related rules effectively.
Note:IRDAI, is a statutory body formed under an Act of Parliament, IRDA Act, 1999 for overall supervision and development of the Insurance sector in India.
Signatories: The MoU was signed by Vivek Aggarwal, Director, FIU-IND and Satyajit Tripathy, Member (Distribution), IRDAI in New Delhi (Delhi).
Key Areas of Focus:
i.Sharing of Intelligence: The MoU focuses on exchanging pertinent intelligence and information to ensure timely action on suspicious activities.
ii.Reporting Procedures: It will define clear guidelines for how regulated entities in the insurance sector report suspicious financial transactions under the PMLA rules.
iii.Training and Skill Development: Both organizations will organize training sessions to upskill personnel within the regulated insurance entities, focusing on the identification of risks and suspicious activities.
iv.Risk Assessments: Regular assessments will be conducted to understand the vulnerabilities in the insurance sector and enhance the compliance efforts related to AML/CFT obligations.
v.Appointments: The agreement also includes the appointment of a nodal officer and an alternate nodal officer by each party to the MoU.
About Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU IND):
FIU-IND is an organisation under the Department of Revenue (DoR), Ministry of Finance (MoF) which collects financial intelligence about offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002(PMLA).
Director- Vivek Aggarwal
Headquarters- New Delhi (Delhi)
Established-2004
CSIR-NPL Celebrates 79th Foundation Day: Advancing Metrology for National Development
On 4th January 2025, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL) celebrated its 79th Foundation Day in New Delhi (Delhi).
- CSIR-NPL is India’s National Metrology Institute (NMI), entrusted with the development, maintenance, and dissemination of National Standards across industries, strategic sectors, and scientific research.
i.During the event CSIR-NPL signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with IITM (Indian Institute of Technology Madras) (Chennai,Tamil Nadu,TN) for academic and research collaboration and with CSIR- Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) for producing Bharatiya Nirdeshak Dravya (BND) (Certified Reference Materials) in plant-based materials.
ii.During the event, CSIR-NPL introduced 2 new BNDs:
- Lanthanum Hexaboride Powder (BND-2025) for calibration standards in powder X-ray diffraction.
- White Portland Cement Standard (BND-5064), developed with the National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCCBM).
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Indonesia Joins BRICS as 10th Full Member
On 6 January 2025, Brazil, serving as the BRICS chair for 2025, announced that Indonesia, world’s fourth-most populous nation, has become a 10th full member of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) alliance.
- The inclusion of Indonesia aligns with Brazil’s theme for its presidency: “Enhancing Global South Cooperation for a More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance.”
Background:
In 2024, BRICS countries agreed to admit Indonesia as a member. This decision followed the guidelines set during the 2023 BRICS meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa (SA).
- The expansion shows the group’s focus on strengthening ties with emerging economies.
About BRICS:
BRIC was established as a formal group in 2006 with its original members: Brazil, Russia, India, and China, headquartered in Shanghai, China.
i.In 2009, the first BRIC Summit was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia.
ii.In 2010, the group evolved from BRIC to BRICS with the inclusion of South Africa.
iii.In 2024, BRICS expanded by adding four new members: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). With Indonesia’s inclusion in 2025, the group now has 10 members.
Points to Note:
i.The 16th BRICS Summit was held in Kazan, Russia, under Russia’s chairmanship in 2024.
ii.The 17th BRICS Summit will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in July 2025.
BANKING & FINANCE
RBI maintains the FRSB interest rate at 8.05% from January 1 to June 30, 2025
In January 2025, the Reserve Bank India (RBI) has announced the interest rate for RBI Floating Rate Savings Bonds (Taxable) FRSB 2020 (T) for the period of January 1 to June 30, 2025 will remains at 8.05%, comprising the National Savings Certificate (NSC) rate of 7.70% and an additional spread of 0.35%.
- The interest rate on RBI FRSB is not fixed, adjusted semi-annually based on the interest rate of the NSC.
i.Interest earned on RBI FRSB is taxable, with no tax deductions allowed for the investment. Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) applies if annual interest exceeds Rs.10,000.
ii.The bonds require a minimum investment of Rs.1,000 additional investments in multiples of Rs.1,000, and no upper limit. The bonds cannot be pledged as collateral for loans.
iii.The RBI FRSB has a seven-year lock-in period and does not allow early withdrawal, except for senior citizens.
- Seniors can withdraw early with a penalty after a minimum lock-in period include six years for aged 60–70, five years for aged 70–80, and four years for those aged over 80.
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
Overview of 82nd Golden Globes Awards 2025: Jacques Audiard’s ‘Emilia Perez’ bagged 4 awards
The 82nd edition of Golden Globes Award 2025 was held on 5th January, 2025 at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, United States of America (USA). The Golden Globes Awards are held annually and are presented by Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA).
- The 2025 award recognizes excellence in film both American and International and American Television (TV) 2024.
- American comedian and actress Nikki Glaser made history at the 2025 award ceremony as the 1st woman to solo-host the event.
Nominations of 82nd Golden Globes Award:
i.The nominations of the 82nd Golden Globes Awards under 27 categories were announced by American comedian & actress, Mindy Kaling and American actor, Morris Chestnut.
ii.The event marked the 1st time, the organization hosted a special ceremony for the recipients of its 2 historic honours of Golden Globes 2025: ‘the Cecil B DeMille Award’ & ‘the Carol Burnett Award’ .
iii.American actor & 3-time Golden Globes winner Ted Danson received the 1st ever ‘Carol Burnett Award 2025’ for his role in Netflix’s ‘A Man on the Inside’.
iv.American actress & film producer Viola Davis was presented with the ‘Cecil B. DeMille Award 2025’ for her powerful performances in ‘Fences’ & ‘The Woman King.’
v.The film ‘All We Imagine As Light’ directed by Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia featured in double nominations for the categories: Best Motion Picture (Non-English Language) and the Best Director (Motion Picture).
Highlights:
i.Emilia Perez (French musical crime comedy) led with 10 nominations, including Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy), Best Director (Jacques Audiard) & Best Actress (Karla Sofia Gascon).
- The film won 4 awards, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress (Zoe Saldana), Best Non-English Feature, and Best Original Song.
ii.The Brutalist (A24 film) followed closely with 7 nominations & won 3 awards including Best Actor (Adrien Brody), Best Director (Brady Corbet) and Best Movie (Drama).
iii.Shogun swept all 4 of its categories, winning Best Series, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor & Best Supporting Actress.
>> Read Full News
ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS
CCI Grants Automatic Approval to Avenue-Mavco Acquisition of MHM Holding GmbH
On January 04 2025, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) granted automatic approval to the Murugappa family affiliate Mavco Investments and Avenue Capital Group to acquire 100% ownership of Germany based ‘MHM Holding Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung (GmbH)’ under its Green Channel route.
i.Mavco Investments Private Limited (Mavco), a private investment firm linked to members of the Murugappa family, is working with Avenue India Emergence Private Limited, an arm of New York-based Avenue Capital Group.
ii.Avenue India Emergence Private Limited (Avenue), part of the Avenue Capital Group, specializes in specialty lending and investments, with operations in markets across the United States (US), Europe, and Asia.
iii.MHM Holding GmbH, is the parent company of Hubergroup, a global leader in printing inks and chemicals with significant presence in India and Europe.
ENVIRONMENT
New Ant Species ‘Tapinoma onaele’ discovered in Western Ghats
In January 2025, a team of researchers from Goa, Dehradun(Uttarakhand) and Karnataka discovered a new ant species named ‘Tapinoma onaele’, in the Western Ghats, Kodagu district, Karnataka. This species, named after the Kannada term ‘onaele’, meaning “dried leaves,” reflects its natural habitat in the leaf litter of the forest floor.
i.This discovery follows previous notable finds, such as Protanilla flamma and Probolomyrmex procne, a species not seen in India for 3 decades.
- Goa is only the 3rd known location where it has been documented in India.
ii.Leaf litter, composed of fallen leaves and organic material, is vital for the ecosystem which provides shelter and nourishment for a range of organisms, including ants.
- These ants help with decomposition, soil movement, and pest control, playing an essential role in forest ecology.
OBITUARY
Former Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis passed away
Former Greek Prime Minister (PM) Costas Simitis, a law professor and a reformist, has passed away at the age of 88 in Corinth, Greece. He was born on 23rd June 1936 in Piraeus, Greece.
- He served as the PM of Greece for eight years from 1996 to 2004.
- He was credited as the architect of Greece’s joining the common European currency, the euro.
About Costas Simitis:
i.Costas Simitis was a notable Greek politician and academic, was a founding member of the Socialist Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) party.
ii.In 1996, he was elected as President of PASOK at the 4th Congress of the party, as former PM Andreas Papandreou passed away.
iii.He served as the leader of the PASOK from 1996 to 2004 and as Greece’s PM during the same period.
iv.He lowered the public debt and budget deficit during his administration and paved the way for Greece to join the eurozone in 2001.
- He also helped Cyprus join the European Union(EU) in 2004.
Renowned Kannada Novelist and Writer Na D’Souza Passed Away at 87
On January 05 2025, Prominent Kannada Novelist and writer Norbert D’Souza, popularly known as Dr. Na D’Souza, passed away at the age of 87 in Mangalore, Karnataka. He was born in Sagar, Karnataka on June 6, 1937.
- He was known for his inspiring works on social justice, human rights, and human relationships and was one of those early Kannada writers who created awareness on environment and climate change.
- His stories reflected the struggles faced by the people of Malnad region.
About Norbert D’Souza:
i.Na D’Souza began his career as typist in Karnataka’s Department of Public Works and worked for 37
ii.He has written over 40 novels, various short stories, plays, and children’s literature, totalling more than 94 published books.
iii.In 2014, he presided over the 80th Kannada Sahitya Sammelana held in Madikeri, Karnataka.
iv.Moreover, some of his works were also adapted into critically acclaimed films, including Kadina Benki, Dweepa, Baluvali, Antharya, and Bettada Puradaditta Makkalu.
Awards and Honors:
i. Na D’Souza has received various awards including Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award in 1993 for his work “MulugadeyaOorigeBandavaru” and the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award in 1998.
ii.He also won the Pampa award in 2024 by the Karnataka government.
STATE NEWS
Odisha CM Inaugurates Adivasi Mela 2025; Launches Shahid Madho Singh Scheme
On January 5 2025, Chief Minister (CM) of Odisha, Mohan Charan Majhi, inaugurated the Adivasi Mela 2025, ahead of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas(PBD) program, at the Exhibition Grounds in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
- He also launched the Shahid Madho Singh Haath Kharcha Scheme with a budget of Rs 156 crore, during the event to support tribal students and honored nine tribal talents and ten tribal farmers for their outstanding contributions at the event.
- A special edition of the journal ‘Banja-2025’, published by the Tribal Language and Culture Academy of Odisha, was also released during the event.
Note: The 18th PBD Convention is being organized in partnership with the State Government of Odisha from January 8 to 10, 2025 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
About Adivasi Mela:
i.This annual fair, a celebration of Odisha’s tribal heritage and culture, will be held from January 5 to January 15, 2025.
ii.This year’s fair features 147 stalls showcasing tribal art, handicrafts, and food, 15 live demonstrations of traditional practices, and a dedicated Bhagwan Birsa Munda Pavilion.
About Shahid Madho Singh Haath Kharcha Scheme:
The scheme is named after Shaheed Madho Singh, a freedom fighter and tribal landowner from the Ghansa area of Bargarh district, Odisha, who played a significant role in India’s independence movement.
- This initiative aims to reduce dropout rates and increase students’ interest in education.
Key Points:
i.Tribal students who pass Class 8 and join Class 9 or 10 will receive a one-time incentive of Rs.5,000 per year.
- Students enrolling in Class 11 will also be eligible for this benefit.
ii.The scheme has been implemented for the current academic year 2024-2025 and is exclusively available to Scheduled Tribe(ST) students whose annual family income does not exceed Rs 2,50,000
About Odisha:
Chief Minister (CM)– Mohan Charan Majhi
Governor– Hari Babu Kambhampati
Capital– Bhubaneswar
National Park ( NP)-Similipal NP, Bhitarkanika NP
Telangana to celebrate Savitribai Phule’s birth anniversary as ‘Women Teacher’s Day’
The Telangana government has decided to celebrate the birth anniversary of Savitribai Phule as a state function on 3rd January as ‘Women Teacher’s Day’ every year to pay tribute to her contributions to women’s education.
- Savitribai Phule was a social worker, poet, and teacher and worked actively towards women’s freedom and situation in Indian society.
i.She opened India’s first school for girls in 1848 in Pune and became India’s first woman teacher and first Indian headmistress.
ii.She published her first collection of poems, named Kavya Phule (‘Poetry’s Blossoms’) in 1854 and also published Bavan Kashi Subodh Ratnakar (‘The Ocean of Pure Gems’), in 1892.
Note: Pune University, Pune(Maharashtra), is named after Savitribai Phule as a tribute to her efforts for women’s education in India.
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